Tackling tenancy fraud has saved millions

Since the team was launched under two years ago, their work has resulted in savings worth over £2 million.

Thanks to their detective work, many council homes that were being sub-let or used unlawfully have been returned to us and re-let to people in genuine need. Plus, fraudsters who had tried to cheat the system by lying on their Right to Buy or housing application have been denied.

The Tenancy Fraud Team launched as a pilot project in September 2020, and by the end of the financial year on March 31 2022, they had successfully:

• Returned 18 council homes that we have since relet to people in genuine need (saving over £750,000). These homes include bedsits, one, two, three and even a four-bedroom house
• Cancelled 21 Right to Buys that were investigated (saving over £1.3 million for the council)
• Referred 11 cases onto our Legal Team for prosecution
• Stopped two unlawful mutual exchanges from going ahead
• Cancelled two false housing applications
• Prevented nearly £65,000 of benefits being paid to fraudsters
• Ensured two abandoned council homes were relet to people on the waiting list (at a saving of £84,000)

Thanks to this success we have now made the Tenancy Fraud Team a permanent part of the Housing Service.

Each incident of housing fraud costs us as a council thousands of pounds – in terms of investigating, legal costs, and then getting properties we take back ready to re-let to genuine tenants. This is money that could be better used improving your homes and neighbourhoods.

As the maximum Right to Buy discount is £84,600, it is essential that only legitimate applications are processed to stop fraudsters buying up our much-needed council homes illegally.

To stamp out housing fraud, we rely on tenants and leaseholders to contact us with any suspicions about suspected fraud in council neighbourhoods. Please contact your Local Housing Office , email us, call our Tenancy Fraud Team on 023 8091 7610 or report tenancy fraud online. All reports will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be made anonymously.