Working together to prevent and stop housing fraud

Last month marked International Fraud Awareness Week. Throughout the year our Tenancy Officers and the council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) are working together to prevent and detect housing fraud that happens at the expense of the council, borough and the wider community. This is to make sure public funds go to those who genuinely need it.

There are many different types of housing fraud, such as unlawful subletting, housing application fraud, wrongful succession, abandonment and Right to Buy. Some cases are deliberate and committed purely for profit, while others occur when family or friends try to help each other out by bypassing application processes or providing misleading information. 

In April 2023, a report by the Tenancy Fraud Forum (TFF) and Fraud Advisory Panel (FAP) estimated that 148,000 social housing homes in England are fraudulently occupied. This puts a huge strain on councils, leaving many people on lengthy waiting lists and increasing the risks of homelessness because homes are not available to those who need them. 

Between April and November 2023, the council has:

• recovered 31 properties where there is an allegation of tenancy fraud,
• 54 properties are awaiting civil legal court action,
• 14 properties are awaiting eviction,
• refused six housing succession applications,
• the CAFT also directly stopped six Right to Buy applications as a result of investigations, which equates to £767,400 in maximum discount savings.

We caught up with Sally* who was in temporary accommodation in Enfield but is now a tenant of a previously fraudulently occupied property. Sally says “Living back in Waltham Forest makes a big difference to our lives. My rent is now more affordable, and I can help my mum who lives nearby. And my daughter is happy to have a permanent home.”

Cllr Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, said: “Waltham Forest Council takes the allegations of fraud extremely seriously and is committed to preventing, detecting and thoroughly investigating any fraud, corruption and dishonesty. Combatting housing fraud is high on our agenda, making sure that homes are made available for those who genuinely need them. These positive outcomes are the testament to the hard work of our diligent CAFT and Tenancy Officers working together to ensure that the people who live in our properties are the lawful tenants.”

Every unlawfully sub-let council property deprives a genuine Waltham Forest housing applicant of the chance of a home. Help us stamp it out. If you have a genuine suspicion that a council property is being used for fraudulent activity, you can report this anonymously to a member of our Corporate Anti-Fraud Team by using the link below.

*Resident name changed