Tenancy Fraud
Our approach to dealing with tenancy fraud
To prevent tenancy fraud, we require housing applicants to show us that:
- they are in genuine housing need
- they are who they say they are
- there are no reasons why we should not provide them with a property (for example, if they have a history of anti-social behaviour).
We conduct checks at the start of a tenancy to make sure applicants meet our property allocation criteria and that they understand their responsibilities as a tenant.
We investigate all reports of alleged tenancy fraud. This can involve working with partners including the local authority, the police and the Department of Work and Pensions.
What we mean by tenancy fraud
Tenancy fraud is when a tenant provides false information to gain a property, sublets the property to someone else, or does not use the property as their only or main home.
What you can expect from our service
We will follow up all reports of alleged tenancy fraud within 10 working days.
What will happen during an investigation of tenancy fraud
If we have strong evidence that someone has committed tenancy fraud, we will take steps to recover the property. This could include starting legal proceedings to end their tenancy. If the property has been sublet, we may also:
- apply for an Unlawful Profit Order which will require any profits made from subletting the property to be passed to us
- work with the local authority to seek a criminal prosecution, which could result in a fine of up to £50,000 and/or a custodial sentence of up to two years.
Making sure that we are succeeding
We conduct regular tenancy checks using a range of methods, including visiting properties to speak with tenants. We run a tenancy fraud hotline which anyone can call anonymously to report suspected tenancy fraud.
How to contact us about tenancy fraud
If you suspect tenancy fraud, please contact the Investigation Officer on 020 8354 5500. You can also report your concerns anonymously to our tenancy fraud hotline on 020 8354 5575.