Rent Assessment Officer

**About us**

The Department of Government Services (DGS) was established on 1 January 2023 to improve everyone's experience of doing business and interacting with the Victorian government. We bring important day-to-day services together in one department to make things easy and seamless for Victorians and businesses. We are doing this by connecting and digitising our systems and platforms across state and local government as well as streamlining our corporate and procurement services.

**About the role**

Reporting to the Escalations Team Manager, the Rent Assessment Officer is part of a team who evaluate and respond to renter requests for Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) to investigate a proposed rental increase from their rental provider.

As part of the frontline service for CAV for rental increase assessment requests, the team reviews proposed rental increases and responds to renters to advise if the increase has been correctly calculated in line with the method outlined in the prescribed Notice of Rent Increase. This role also has the responsibility of identifying and escalating renter requests where the proposed increase is deemed excessive and/or the renter requests a formal rent increase investigation to be undertaken by CAV.

The Rental Increase Assessment Officer may perform front line dispute resolution, provide information and advice to Victorian renters, rental providers and real estate agents and escalate breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 for compliance action.

**Key accountabilities include**
- Evaluate and respond to renter requests for Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) to investigate a proposed rental increase from their rental provider in accordance with the relevant legislation and case management guidelines. This includes contacting parties by phone in the first instance.
- Increase accessibility to CAV's rent assessment and rent increase investigative services to deliver an efficient and effective resolution per request. Initiate appropriate action of rental increase assessment/investigation requests to achieve a resolution within CAV's policies and procedures.
- Update and maintain CAV's case management, registration and file creation systems and content on CAV's knowledge management system when appropriate. Identify risks and effectively handle systemic and emerging issues by utilising intelligence.

**About you**

To be considered for the role, you must be able to demonstrate:

- Theoretical knowledge of CAV's Regulatory approach and Compliance Policy.
- Experience or sound knowledge of CAV's legislative enforcement activities, including a working knowledge of CAV's Escalation Framework.
- Sound knowledge of the legislation and policies administered by CAV.
- The ability to learn software packages.

For specific responsibilities please review the attached position description.

This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.

**How to apply**
- a resume; and
- a cover letter which addresses the key selection criteria (within three pages)

**Other relevant information**

The department is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees and clients and consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OH&S Act), to support this DGS has a COVID-19 Vaccination policy which **strongly recommends** all DGS employees be fully vaccinated.

DGS actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. All roles at DGS can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.