Trainee Housing Standards Enforcement Officer
Trafford Council
- Expired
Trainee Housing Standards Enforcement Officer Salary: £24,796 rising to £28,598 Hours: Full time, 36.25 hours per week Contract: Three year training contract Location: Trafford Council Closing date: 7 January 2026 Interview date Monday 19th January 2026 Your role Trafford Council is looking to recruit a trainee to kickstart their career in enforcement against poor housing and bad landlords. Over the course of this three-year entry-level role, you will gain two qualifications, including a level 4 apprenticeship, and see your salary rise as you progress. Too many people live in substandard rented homes that are taking a toll on their health and happiness. Housing standards officers hold unique legal powers to tackle this. As a trainee you will develop all the skills you need to help people to live in better quality rented homes. Working alongside experienced enforcement professionals, you will learn how to inspect and assess properties for hazards, advise landlords on their legal responsibilities and, ultimately, take legal action and prosecute the worst offending property owners. During your role, you will work towards achieving a Level 4 Regulatory Compliance Officer Apprenticeship, followed by a Level 4 Advanced Professional Certificate in the Private Rented Sector, nationally recognised qualifications for these in-demand professionals. About you The ideal candidate will be passionate about helping people and enthusiastic to learn the technical and people skills enforcement officers need, from assessing and diagnosing property hazards to being assertive and having difficult conversations. You will be open to meeting people from across a range of different backgrounds and visiting them in their homes to conduct assessments, which are central elements of the role. Whether you are at the start of your career or considering a career change, you will have good communications skills, literacy and numeracy, and an eagerness to improve bad housing. More information about the requirements can be found in the role profile. Please ensure you show us how you meet the criteria in your supporting statement. About us Trafford Council and its partners in the public, private and third sectors have a Vision which sees us working together to close inequality gaps and maximise Trafford’s huge potential. Our vision: Trafford where all our residents, businesses and communities thrive. Trafford is a lively, prosperous place to put down roots and build a career. The council and Trafford schools employ around 8,000 people, who are central to making the area great. In return for their commitment, the council offers its employees development opportunities, as well as a fair and flexible workplace. The council is a Living Wage Employer. Contact Details For further information please contact Nicola.Lees@trafford.gov.uk About the benefits You will be welcomed into a friendly environment where your personal and professional development will be encouraged. You will have the opportunity to work and grow in a people-centered and values-based organisation that promotes a positive permission culture. Your opinions matter so you will have the opportunity to shape how we do things here at Trafford. To learn more about Trafford as a place to work visit and to view more about our awards and benefits please visit: Trafford - Benefits | www.inploi.com (greater.jobs) If you are applying under the Guaranteed Assessment Scheme then you need to show that you meet the essential requirements of the job as set out in the ‘About You’ section of the role profile. You may be given the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, talent and abilities at an interview or other form of assessment. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment - greater.jobs | www.inploi.com For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licensed sponsor and we won't be able to support with your work visa. Privacy Notice - The Council needs to hold and process information about employees, workers and other individuals as appropriate, for various reasons. With the General Data Protection Regulations coming into force we have in place a new privacy notice for staff, contractors, volunteers, trainees, those on work experience and job applicants. To find out more, please click here: Recruitment & Employment Privacy Notice (trafford.gov.uk) Calculate your take home pay. Use this service to estimate how much Income Tax and National Insurance you should pay for the current tax year. Employment could affect your benefits, find out more here. Turn2us Benefits Calculator.Supporting Documents
↗ Role Profile
Location
Talbot Road, , Trafford, M32 0TH, United Kingdom
Job ID
1589
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This guidance outlines acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI, along with suggestions for using it in a way that supports you while keeping your application true to you.
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AI refers to technology that can create or refine content, such as text, ideas, summaries, or planning. It can help improve productivity, problem-solving, and creativity.
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When it comes to recruitment, we take a human-centred approach.
This means:
A trained hiring manager reads every application
Shortlisting is based on objective criteria required for the job
Interviews are conducted in person or via teams by the hiring manager for the role
All hiring decisions are made by hiring managers, not algorithms
AI does not make decisions in our recruitment process and our managers are being upskilled to spot AI in applications, particularly when this might have been used in a way that doesn’t feel genuine. If something in an application raises a question or concern, we will test this out with assessments or at the interview stage to confirm authenticity.
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Using AI in Your Application
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We recognise that AI can be a helpful tool to support accessibility during the application process. If you choose to use AI for support, please read the instructions carefully and make sure your application is written in your own words, reflecting your genuine skills, knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.
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How to use AI Effectively and Responsibly
Your application is your chance to show us:
Who you are
What you can bring
The values you hold
Why you want to make a difference
AI can help you organise your thoughts or improve clarity but it cannot express your unique voice, experiences, or motivations.
AI is most helpful when used to:
Help you structure the information you are providing to evidence the criteria
Give examples of how to use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
Proof-read to highlight grammar or spelling errors
Provide inspiration if you're finding it difficult to find the right words to explain something
But remember: your honesty, lived experience, and motivations are irreplaceable.
Do’s and Don’ts for Using AI in the Recruitment Process
Do:
Use AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement
Ask AI to help tidy up your writing or clarify structure
Use it to brainstorm examples, then rewrite them in your own voice
Reflect on AI suggestions and adapt them to match your experience
Use AI to help with research, but express your understanding yourself
Don’t:
Copy and paste AI-generated content directly into your application
Let AI exaggerate or invent experience you do not have
Rely on generic statements that don’t reflect the specific role requirements
Remove your individuality, we want to hear your voice
