Help us stop Social Housing Fraud
Each year thousands of Council owned homes are unavailable to the people who need them. This is because of Social Housing Fraud which became a criminal offence when a new law “The Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013” came into force in October 2013.
Under the new law, tenants committing social housing tenancy fraud risk a criminal investigation and prosecution in addition to the risk of losing their tenancy. The maximum penalty for Social Housing Fraud is up to two years in prison and a fine up to £50,000. Courts will also have the power to make an order forcing tenants to repay any profits made by sub-letting.
Who is committing Social Housing Fraud?
- Anyone giving false information or failing to disclose information on a housing application form when applying for a Council home.
- Anyone Unlawfully Subletting- this is when a tenant rents out their home without the knowledge or permission of the Council/ East Kent Housing. They then make a profit by charging the person they are subletting to a much higher rate than the rent.
- Anyone retaining a property after a tenant has died- this is usually where someone tries to succeed to the tenancy by claiming they have lived there with the deceased tenant before their death when in fact they lived elsewhere.
- Anyone selling keys to their Council home – this is the keys to the property are ‘sold’ for a one-off payment
- Anyone who has swapped their council homes ,by mutual exchange, without the permission of the Landlord
- Anyone giving false information on a Right to Buy application- This is where an applicant has not lived in the property for the qualifying period or hides details of debt/bankruptcy.
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