Housing Officer
Also advertised as: Estate Officer, Homelessness Officer, Housing Officer, Housing Options Officer, Income Officer, Neighbourhood Officer
Manages a patch of social housing: tenancies, rent, antisocial behaviour and repairs.
What the job involves
Housing officers support tenants and protect the landlord's assets. You sign up new tenants, tackle rent arrears and antisocial behaviour, arrange repairs and safeguarding referrals, and attend court when needed. Frontline people skills matter most.
Typical responsibilities
- Manage tenancies from sign-up to end
- Address rent arrears and support payment plans
- Investigate antisocial behaviour reports
- Carry out property and estate inspections
- Refer tenants to support services
Common employers
- Housing associations
- Councils
- Supported housing providers
- Almshouse charities
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£25,000 – £30,000 a year
With experience
£32,000 – £40,000 a year
Typical hours
37 hours
Working environment
Office with regular estate and home visits
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Housing law awareness
- Conflict resolution
- Case management
- Safeguarding
- Negotiation
Transferable skills you may already have
- Customer service
- Difficult conversations
- Record keeping
Requirements employers ask for
- Housing law awareness
- Conflict resolution
- Case management
- Safeguarding
- Negotiation
- No formal qualification required
- Driving licence usually required
- DBS
Useful but not essential
- Customer service
- Difficult conversations
- Record keeping
- CIH Level 3 or 4 in Housing
Helpful qualifications
- CIH Level 3 or 4 in Housing
Licences and checks
- Driving licence usually required
- DBS
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Housing and Property Management (Level 3)
- Senior Housing and Property Management (Level 4)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Housing
- Related subject: Social policy
- Related subject: Business
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Housing Officer
next
Housing Manager
next
Head of Housing
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Public service with visible local impact
- No degree required
- Secure sector
What people find hard
- Difficult and sometimes hostile situations
- Emotionally heavy cases
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a housing officer?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a housing officer earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £25,000 to £30,000 a year, rising towards £40,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Customer service, Difficult conversations, Record keeping.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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