What is Tenancy Fraud?
We are in a national housing crisis and Manchester is feeling the effects.
There are currently over 20,000 people/families on our register waiting to access social housing. We have a very limited number of properties to let each year.
We take tenancy fraud very seriously and we will take legal action against those who commit it.
Tenancy fraud is when a person has acquired or is using social housing dishonestly. This could be by obtaining a property through false information in an application, subletting a property without permission, or unlawfully succeeding a tenancy.
This fraudulent activity is illegal and unethical. It takes homes away from those who genuinely need them and can result in legal penalties such as:
- Repossession of the property
- The loss of future housing rights
- Imprisonment (up to ten years)
- Recovery of financial loss to the authority (Right to buy discount)
- Recovery of any profit made as a result of the fraud (unlawful profit order).
Common types of Tenancy Fraud
Unlawful Subletting
Pursuant to the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013.
This is when a social housing tenant has rented out the whole of their property and they are not living there themselves
Tenants can be evicted and prosecuted. If found guilty may be liable to imprisonment of up to 2 years, a fine or both. If any profit has been made via illegal subletting, and order can be made by the courts to recover this.
Application Fraud
Pursuant to the Fraud Act 2006
This is when someone has or is attempting to get social housing based on false information. It also applies when a tenant fails to disclose information or knowingly provides false information when applying to buy a property under the Right to Buy scheme. This could include the failure to declare ownership of another property, failure to occupy the property as their principal home or overstating housing need.
- Right to buy (often associated with illegal subletting)
- Housing application
- Succession / Assignment
- Temporary accommodation
Other types of housing tenancy fraud include key selling, vacating the property and selling the keys in exchange for money, and abandonment of the property without terminating the tenancy.
If enquires show that an offence has been committed, applications can be cancelled; tenants / applicants can be evicted and prosecuted. If found guilty may be liable to imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine or both.
If you suspect tenancy fraud is being committed you can report it here:
