Interim Rent & Service Charge Accountant

Interim Rents & Service Charge Accountant

£280–£350 per day

Interim

3 days per week on site, based in Kent

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Rents & Service Charge Accountant to join a housing organisation on an interim basis.

The Role

Working as part of the Finance & Resources function, you will be responsible for the financial administration, control and reporting of service charges, rental income and other income streams.

You will work closely with finance and housing colleagues, providing accurate financial information, supporting budget setting and ensuring income is correctly recorded, reconciled and recovered.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage annual service charge schedules, estimates and accounts.
• Process service charge adjustments and oversee resident communications relating to service charges.
• Respond to service charge queries from residents and internal stakeholders.
• Support the set-up of service charges for new schemes.
• Liaise with internal and external auditors on service charge accounts.
• Provide advice and support around Section 20 requirements where appropriate.
• Work with housing managers to ensure service costs are correctly recharged.
• Produce quarterly management accounts and monitor service charge expenditure.
• Prepare annual budgets for service charge income and expenditure.
• Review weekly rent debits, rent receipts, adjustments and write-offs.
• Reconcile rent control accounts and the interface between the housing management system and general ledger.
• Produce rent, arrears and void reports.
• Maintain housing benefit and supported housing entitlements within the housing management system.
• Manage fair rent registrations, direct debit increases and rent-related queries.
• Set up new properties and tenancies on the housing management system.
• Ensure all non-rental income is invoiced, including grants, tenant recharges and managing agent income.
• Work with income recovery teams to monitor and escalate outstanding balances.
• Prepare schedules and reports for properties managed by or on behalf of other organisations.
• Complete month-end and year-end reconciliations, including clearing suspense accounts.
• Liaise with auditors and other third parties on income, rents and service charge matters.
• Support finance colleagues across the wider team when required.
• Maintain accurate procedures and documentation.
• Provide support with finance systems administration and configuration.

About You

We are looking for someone with a strong understanding of housing finance, rents and service charges, ideally gained within a social housing or similar environment.

You will have:

• Previous experience working in a finance environment.
• Strong knowledge of service charges and rental income.
• Understanding of social housing tenancy types and rent-setting processes.
• Experience with budgeting and monitoring.
• Strong knowledge of double-entry bookkeeping, accruals, journals and reconciliations.
• Excellent Excel skills.
• Strong numerical ability and attention to detail.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and work to tight deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence working with stakeholders at different levels.
• The ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a wider finance team.

Desirable Experience

Experience within the housing sector would be highly advantageous, particularly with:

• Civica housing management systems.
• SUN Accounts / SUN administration.
• Vision/Q&A.
• RBS/NatWest Bankline.
• Finance system implementations and interfaces.
• Developing and documenting financial procedures.

An Accounting Technician qualification or equivalent professional finance education would also be beneficial.

Why Apply?

This is a broad and hands-on interim opportunity for an experienced Rents & Service Charge Accountant looking to use their housing finance expertise across service charges, rents, income, reporting and financial controls.

If you have strong social housing finance experience and are available for an interim assignment, we'd be keen to hear from you.