Rebecca Gaffney passes IRRV Level 3 Certification with flying colours

This week I received the results for my third and final IRRV exam. Upon opening the portal and reading the words ‘distinction’ I couldn’t believe it. I double-checked and was overcome by an enormous feeling of relief. I think my exact thoughts were “thank goodness that’s over with” closely followed by an overwhelming feeling of pride. After 2.5 years of hard work, I have achieved two distinctions and have now finally completed the course to IRRV Tech Level 3. 

Why study for the certificate? 

In my role as Client Services Manager, I work closely with our current Local Authority clients and had become increasingly interested in learning more about the processes and procedures involved in the debts that we were collecting, particularly around Council Tax. In 2019 I knew that the IRRV Level 3 certificate course would be beneficial and when given the opportunity I didn’t want to turn it down. I must admit, before enrolling I hadn’t completed an exam-based qualification for 10 very long years! Knowing that the course consisted of one assignment and three 3 hours exams, I was nervous. But my determination to learn and develop at Dukes meant I was ready to take on the challenge.  

Course expectations 

I chose the Local Taxation and Benefits Stream which focused on the following subjects: Introduction to Council Tax, Introduction to Welfare and Benefits and Revenues and Local Taxation Administration. Plus, I decided to split the exams into manageable chunks; one every 6 months. 

Surprisingly, I found the ‘Introduction to Council Tax’ module easiest and most enjoyable, but I think that this was largely down to reading the case law, which helped me to better understand the relevant legislation and how it could be applied. It was also interesting to learn about how local authorities determine liability and understand in more detail the processes involved in billing and recovery, before referral to an enforcement company.  

Overcoming challenges 

I knew that I wanted to expand my knowledge on Local Taxation and having a professional qualification would be invaluable. It was testing at times, requiring a lot of dedication, perseverance and a great deal of motivation, especially because I split the exams over an 18-month period which coincided with the chaos of the pandemic.  I’m not a quitter so I always knew deep down that I would get there in the end. 

It’s no secret that whilst students are accepted from enforcement companies, the course itself is designed for Local Taxation and Welfare Benefits practitioners in the public and private sectors. With this in mind, I knew that I might find the qualification more challenging than my peers. As they all worked at a Local Authority the course was closely associated with their day-to-day jobs. However, the information packs and support available from the tutors was fantastic and I felt that because I had no preconceived ideas or direct experience, I was able to absorb the content and legislation easily. 

Setting the Expectation 

The course is extremely useful for building and developing knowledge and I would recommend completing the course / qualification process, on the basis that it is well organised. There is excellent support available, and it is a very rewarding process.  My advice would be: don’t do it as a tick box exercise, as you have to be motivated and want to do it; it requires a lot of time and effort; studying and revising outside of work hours requires self-discipline, but if you’re motivated it’s actually enjoyable. 

The course has without a doubt increased my knowledge of local authority functions; it’s enabled me to better understand the pressures and ever-increasing responsibilities of local authorities, which in turn has helped me develop my relationships with clients. 

Summary 

In short, the course was both challenging and intense…and my brain felt like it might explode at times, but all in all it was extremely rewarding and what I have learnt has already helped me in my role, and I know it will continue to do so over the course of my career.