Councils and housing providers across the North East of England have joined forces to fight social housing fraud, which is depriving families and vulnerable people getting the homes they need.
Six councils and eight social housing providers are working together to run Regional Tenancy Fraud Awareness Week 2025 (24 to 28 March), which shines a spotlight on the issue.
Tenancy fraud includes making a false Right to Buy or Right to Acquire application, illegally subletting a socially rented property, providing misleading information on housing applications or wrongfully claiming a tenancy following the death of the lawful tenant.
Tenancy fraud is not a victimless crime. Every instance of tenancy fraud deprives someone in genuine need from accessing affordable housing and puts additional pressure on social housing waiting lists. There is also a cost to the public purse, calculated at £27 per taxpayer, through taking action against perpetrators and supporting the victims of these crimes.
This year the North East Tenancy Fraud Forum is highlighting two particular types of tenancy fraud - illegal sub-letting and fraudulent applications to buy properties under the Government’s Right to Buy/Acquire schemes.
Illegal subletting is where a tenant lets out their social rented home without the permission of their landlord; They move out and allow someone else to move in, at times making a profit by charging higher rent or advertising the property as a holiday home.
Sub-tenants have no security, no legal rights against eviction and are often charged higher rents. They can also struggle to access services and essential repairs and maintenance which leaves them in a vulnerable situation.
A fraudulent Right to Buy or Right to Acquire application is where a tenant applies to purchase their rented property at a discount under the Right to Buy or Right to Acquire schemes when they are not entitled to, or they have misrepresented their circumstances to gain a discount; Vulnerable tenants can also be manipulated to buy their property by third parties attempting to make a profit through re-selling or sub-letting.
Amy Hodgson, Chair of the regional North East Tenancy Fraud Forum, said: “Tenancy Fraud not only costs the taxpayer, but it is also desperately unfair that families in urgent need of housing cannot access a home because of others abusing the system.
“We have seen a huge rise in fraudulent applications from tenants wanting to purchase their property with a discount through Right to Buy or Right to Acquire. If someone who would otherwise be ineligible purchases a social property fraudulently, then that home is no longer available for people on the waiting list in genuine need.
“We carry out thorough checks on all applications and will take action if we detect fraud.
“Similarly, illegal sub-letting puts sub-tenants at risk and reduces the number of properties available to people on social housing waiting lists. If you suspect someone is misusing or sub-letting their social rented property, report it, in complete confidence, by contacting your local council or housing association.
“Please don’t worry if you aren’t 100 per cent sure – let us do the necessary checks.”
Anyone with concerns about tenancy fraud should contact their local council or housing association for advice.
If you rent a home and are concerned that you may be a sub-tenant of a council or social housing property, the North East Tenancy Fraud Forum urges you to contact your local authority who will be able to provide advice and support to you and your family as victims of tenancy fraud.
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Notes to editor
Examples of tenancy fraud include:
• Unlawful subletting – where a tenant lets out their council or housing association home without the knowledge or permission of their landlord; They allow someone to move in whilst making a profit by charging higher rent or use the property as a holiday home making huge profits via Air B&B, Booking.com or similar websites;
• Abandonment – where a tenant leaves their property, has no intention to return and does not inform the landlord. This is usually because tenant(s) have moved out without telling their landlord, moving out of the area, moving in with a partner or family, whilst their property sits empty
This can cause problems with anti-social behaviour, vandalism and deterioration of the property and also stops it being used to house someone in need of accommodation;
• Obtaining housing by deception – where a person gets a council or housing association home by giving false information; Key selling is giving the tenancy to someone for a payment, allowing them to jump the waiting list and tenant checks;
• Right To Buy/Right to Acquire fraud – where a tenant has applied for or completed the purchase of a property at a discount under the Right to Buy or Right to Acquire schemes when they are not entitled or misrepresented their circumstances to gain a discount; Or, when third parties manipulate the tenant to buy their home so they can make a profit without considering the best interests of the tenant leaving them vulnerable.;
• Wrongly claimed succession – where a tenant dies or moves out and someone, who is not entitled to, tries to take over or succeed the tenancy;
• Unlawful assignment – where a resident stops using their tenancy as their main or principal home, allowing another person to live there without permission;
• Key selling – where the tenant passes on their keys in return for a one-off payment.