Next week (16-22 November) marks Fraud Awareness Week, so it’s important we turn the spotlight on tenancy fraud – and how we can work together to stop it.
With around 1.3 million people in the UK are on the waiting list for social housing, and more than 148,000 homes affected by tenancy fraud, it's crucial we work together to make sure our homes go to people in genuine need.
What is tenancy fraud?
Tenancy fraud happens when someone lies or hides the truth to get a home or isn’t using their home as laid out in their tenancy agreement. It’s a serious crime that stops vulnerable people and families from getting a safe space to call home. Currently, around 100,000 families are in temporary accommodation due to tenancy fraud.
Tenancy fraud can look like:
- Unlawful subletting: This is when a tenant rents out their home to someone without our knowledge or consent. They continue to pay us the social rent but charge their own "tenant" much more, making an illegal profit.
- Giving false information: This is when an applicant gives us misleading information during their housing application to get a home, such as saying more people live with them than they do or giving false income details.
- Non-occupation: This happens when a tenant isn't using our property as their main home, leaving a much-needed home empty or occupied.
How we're tackling tenancy fraud
Our Tenancy Services team specialises in antisocial behaviour, safeguarding concerns, tenancy breaches, and fraud. Within this team, our specialist Fraud Officer, Alastair, investigates all tenancy fraud reports. He works closely with the police, local councils, and other partners to gather evidence and act where needed to make sure our homes go to those who need them most.
Impact in Numbers
- 140+ cases investigated in the past year
- 12 confirmed frauds
- 8 properties recovered
How you can help us tackle tenancy fraud
Our frontline teams are trained to spot signs of tenancy fraud, but we also need your help.
If you suspect a neighbour might be committing tenancy fraud, you can report it to us here. Please give us as much information as possible; we’ll make sure your report remains anonymous.
Report tenancy fraud
Here are a few signs of tenancy fraud to look out for:
- lots of people living in your neighbour’s home that is more than the occupancy
- damage to property, like smashed windows or broken doors, but no repairs raised
- seeing different people often staying over at the property
- properties looking abandoned or unoccupied for long periods of time.
Read more about the signs of tenancy fraud
Tenancy fraud can increase antisocial behaviour and prevent people who really need homes from getting them. You play an important role in helping us to stop this.
Learn more about your tenancy and possible breaches here.
