January 07, 2011
The Government has launched an initiative to assist Local Authorities in tackling tenancy fraud by council and housing association tenants.
The initiative is aimed at preventing tenants from unlawfully subletting their social housing to private sub-tenants to whom they charge higher rents than they are paying for the properties themselves, thus making a profit. The Government estimates that at least 50,000 social homes in England are currently being unlawfully occupied in this way.
Local authorities will be provided with assistance to conduct tenancy audits and investigations, employ dedicated housing officers and negotiate cheaper contracts with credit reference agencies. The Government also intends to create a national action team at the Chartered Institute of Housing to provide advice and assistance to local authorities.
As well as to save money, the purpose of the scheme is to ensure that sufficient social housing is available for those who really need it. It accompanies a wider Government scheme to reform social housing, through initiatives such as the creation of more flexible tenancies and rental schemes.
As tenants occupying social housing illegally will be evicted, it is important that tenants investigate whom their superior landlords are. If it appears that the property is owned by or leased from a local authority, legal advice should be sought.
