Special investigators to tackle social housing fraud

A special team of investigators will be tracking down social housing fraudsters across Devon thanks to a £200,000 grant.

A bid by a partnership of Devon local authorities and social landlords, led by Plymouth City Council, has won government funding for a two year project.

Fraudsters who rent out their social home and live elsewhere can cost the taxpayer as much as £900 million a year while making thousands of pounds in profits from their so-called tenants. They also prevent people with a genuine need from getting a home and there are thousands of people on the Devon Home Choice register.

A social housing fraud prevention forum will be set up for the project and a team of investigators will be tasked with tracking down fraudsters and investigating cases across local authority boundaries.

They will focus on those who unlawfully sublet social housing and those who provide false information in order to get a home from a council or the Devon Home Choice register.

Cabinet member for Co-operatives and Community Development, Councillor Chris Penberthy said: “Making money fraudulently by renting out social housing or giving false information to get social housing is cheating those people who genuinely need a home.

“In Plymouth we have a good track record of detecting and responding to fraud and recently we’ve successfully prosecuted three cases, however we need more resources. With this funding and by working in partnership across Devon we can be more effective and catch out anyone trying to scam the social housing system.”

The Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 is due to come into force this summer and will widen the areas of social housing fraud that are criminal offences and increase the penalties. Anyone found guilty could face a fine and a custodial sentence of up to two years, while councils will be able to recover the proceeds of sub-letting social homes.