Northumberland County Council has teamed up with partners across the region to warn people of the harm caused by tenancy fraud which is depriving people in genuine need of a place to live. 
 

The council has joined forces with neighbouring local authorities and social housing providers for Regional Tenancy Fraud Awareness Week which will run from  February 7, during which the authority will be urging anyone who suspects a case of tenancy fraud to report it. 
 

The unlawful use of rented housing  means there are longer waiting times for the families who are in genuine need of housing. In 2020, over 52,000 families across the North East were waiting for housing to become available. 
 

Housing fraud also cost councils across the UK £122.4m between 2019 and 2020, and is the third biggest type of fraud. 
 

Northumberland County Councillor Colin Horncastle, cabinet member with responsibility for housing said:  

“Tenancy fraud is not a victimless crime and those that commit fraud to gain access to our social housing do so at the expense of those in real need. If you are aware of someone trying to jump the housing waiting list or you are made aware of a property being misused, it is really important that you please let us know about it.” 
 

Housing fraud can include: 

Unlawful subletting – where a tenant lets out their council or housing association home without the knowledge or permission of their landlord. 
 

Abandonment – where a tenant leaves their socially rented property and has no intention to return and does not inform the landlord. 
 

Obtaining housing by deception – where a person gets a council or housing association home by giving false information in their application. 
 

Right to Buy/Acquire – where a tenant has applied for or completed the purchase of a socially rented home under the Right to Buy/Right to Acquire Scheme when they are not entitled, or misrepresented their circumstances to gain a discount. 
 

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 a tenant is paid to pass on their keys in return for a one-off payment. 

 

Steven Graham, Durham County Council’s fraud manager and joint chair of the North East Tenancy Fraud Forum, said: “Regional Tenancy Fraud Awareness week aims to highlight both the financial and social impacts that housing fraud can have. The North East Tenancy Fraud Forum is committed to tacking social housing fraud and raising awareness of this, to ensure that housing associations are able to provide housing for those in who are in genuine need.” 

 

Anyone who suspects any type of tenancy fraud is urged to report it, in complete confidence, to the Northumberland County Council Fraud Hotline on 01670 624359, email fraudline@northumberland.gov.uk 

 

For more information, visit:  www.tenancyfraudforum.org.uk