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Tenancy Fraud

HOW TO SPOT TENANCY FRAUD AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Tenancy fraud isn't a game ... it's illegal. It happens when someone lives in a social rented home that wasn’t allocated to them or when the tenant sublets all or part of their home to a non-Inquilab tenant so that they can make extra money.

Tenancy fraud is immoral. It is unfair as it reduces the amount of available homes for those who really need them. 

If the person living in the house is not the tenant, they could be committing tenancy fraud. If the person living in the house hasn’t declared everyone living there and their circumstances, they could be committing benefit fraud.

We’re working hard to prevent it. You can help too, by reporting anything you might see as suspicious.

If you are a resident, you can report this via your 'My Inquilab' app. If you do not have access to the app please complete our on-line form here.

 

What is Tenancy Fraud?

There are lots of different kinds of tenancy fraud, including:

  • Sub-letting or parting with possession – when a tenant rents out all or part of their home without our permission
  • Non-occupation or abandonment – when a tenant uses their home for a business or unlawfully lets it out instead of living in it
  • Unlawful assignment – when a tenant doesn’t use their home as their main residence and lets it out to someone else
  • Key selling – when a tenant moves out and sells their key to someone else
  • False application – when a tenant knowingly gives us false information when applying for a home
  • Abandoning the property – when a tenant stops living at their home and leaves it, but does so without telling us
  • Keeping a social rented home when you own another property

What is the Impact of Tenancy Fraud?

Tenancy fraud impacts us all. Most importantly, it limits the number of affordable homes that are available for people really who need them. There are other effects too. There can be an increase in anti-social behaviour in communities where homes are sublet or not occupied by the people they are meant to be and this can result in neighbourhoods that are not as safe as they could be.

How Can You Help?

Be aware 

  • Do you know your neighbours and whom the tenant should be in their homes?
  • Has there been a change of occupants at a neighbouring property?
  • Do you notice any unusual activity from neighbouring properties?
  • Have you overheard any mention of the property being sublet?
  • Does the neighbouring property appear not to be lived in?

Report it 

If you suspect tenancy fraud, you can report via your 'My Inquilab' app. If you do not have access to the app you can register on-line here; or you can report tenancy fraud by email to customersandcommunities@inquilabha.org.

We will investigate any report or information regarding tenancy fraud.  

Your information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence. By providing your details, we can better tackle the tenancy fraud by contacting you for further information where required, as well as keeping you informed on progress of the investigation. We will not use your details without your consent and there would be no pressure for you to be a court witness. In any case, with your assistance and full evidence, we would hope to successfully deal with the matter without the need for any legal action.

"We take a zero tolerance approach to tenancy fraud. It's illegal and it's immoral. Subletting, or renting a social-rented home to someone else deprives a person in need of a home."

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