Airbnb deal to help Birmingham catch illegal subletting of council homes

People illegally subletting social housing in Birmingham through Airbnb can now be identified and removed, under a new data-sharing partnership between the Government and the short-term letting platform.

The agreement between the Cabinet Office and Airbnb, announced on 8 July, allows councils to check their social housing records against Airbnb listings. Listings confirmed as operating without permission will be taken down.

Six cases so far

Early checks have already identified six potential cases of fraud in Birmingham. Fraudsters caught subletting social homes face eviction, fines and up to two years in prison.

Airbnb is the first short-term letting platform to sign up to the scheme with the Cabinet Office.

"Every property that is fraudulently sublet in Birmingham deprives a family in genuine need of a safe place to live," said Councillor Baber Baz, Cabinet Member for Housing.

He said the council had recovered 36 fraudulently sublet properties over the past year, and that the new agreement would help it find tenancy fraud and free up homes for families on the waiting list more quickly.