Tenancy fraud crackdown saves nearly £5m and recovers 36 council homes

Birmingham City Council's tenancy fraud team has saved nearly £5 million of public money over the past year and returned dozens of council homes to families in genuine need.

Investigators tackled illegal subletting, false housing applications, fraudulent Right to Buy claims, tenants not living at their registered addresses and unlawful claims to take over tenancies after someone has died.

The results

• 36 council homes recovered and re-let to families in need
• 210 housing applications cancelled
• 12 Right to Buy applications stopped

Almost four times as many Right to Buy applications were cancelled as the year before. The council says this reflects better intelligence rather than more fraud, thanks to a stronger presence on estates, better referrals and closer working between council teams.

"Tenancy fraud deprives people of a much-needed home - we will not tolerate it," said Councillor Baber Baz, Cabinet Member for Housing.

He pointed out that more than 35,000 people are on Birmingham's housing register waiting for a safe home, and thanked honest tenants whose tip-offs help the team.

Signs to look out for

The council asks residents to watch for a sudden change in who is living in a home, or someone being vague about who lives there. Suspected tenancy fraud can be reported to the council in confidence.