Uncovering tenancy fraud and prosecuting those responsible is vital to ensuring Anglesey Council continues to meet local housing needs.

Tenancy cheats face losing their homes, going to county court, and could even lose the right to social housing in the future.

With a reduction in affordable private lets and increased demand on Anglesey’s homelessness services, providing access to a healthy flow of homes for our residents has never been as important.

Common types of tenancy fraud include:

• subletting a property
• abandoning a property
• false succession or assignment claim
• unauthorised property exchanges
• claiming housing costs or using the property to run a business

Local people are being urged to report any concerns in the strictest of confidence.

Anglesey’s Head of Housing, Ned Michael, explained, “Tenancy fraud is a criminal offence which we take very seriously.”

“We are working hard to track down housing cheats. We have internal checks in place to uncover tenancy fraud and ensure that homes are given to those who are next in line.”

He added, “This will ensure that those who are in genuine need are re-housed as quickly as possible and reduce the need for putting our homeless population into temporary accommodation.”

A recent the audit concluded that Anglesey’s Housing Service responds well to possible tenancy fraud but needs to do more to raise its profile amongst tenants and local communities.

Deputy Council Leader and Housing portfolio holder, Councillor Gary Pritchard added, “Tenancy fraud costs taxpayers’ money and reduces residents’ chances of finding a suitable home in their local community.”

“We all have a part to play in reporting tenancy fraud. Over the coming months, our Housing staff will be working hard to raise greater awareness of this important matter.”

Anyone convicted of housing fraud may receive substantial fines, a custodial sentence and a criminal record.

Please contact Housing Services in confidence to report suspected tenancy fraud via email: adrantai@ynysmon.llyw.cymru or call: 01248 752 200.

Ends 17 November 2023

What you can do to help

Your help in reporting housing fraud is important because you can see what's going on in your neighbourhood. You might:

• know that somebody has a home the landlord doesn't know about or has given false information in their housing application
• suspect someone of housing fraud having seen them collect rent from your neighbours
• be suspicious because the tenants of a property keep changing
• be residing at their partners’ property and not at their council property. Quite often using the council property as a back-up in the event that the relationship was to breakdown.
• If you suspect someone is a housing cheat, let us know. It could make a real difference.

Common types of tenancy fraud

Subletting a property

If a tenant lets out their property without the consent of the landlord, this is an offence. They may have left a family member there or may have found a private tenant of their own who may not realise they are living in a social housing property.

Additionally, the new person at the property may be paying much higher rent than the tenant had to pay, thus allowing the tenant to make an unlawful profit.

Abandoning a property

If a resident has stopped using their property as their main and principal home without informing the landlord, and they have no intention to return, this is classed as abandonment.

This deprives others of using of the property and will only increase the housing waiting list.

False succession / assignment claim

A property can be succeeded or assigned to an immediate family member in the event of the tenant moving out or passing away. The family member must have been living in the property for 12 months prior to the tenant’s death in order to qualify.

Fraudsters may abuse this system by claiming to be in occupation when they were not, in order to gain the property for themselves.

Unauthorised property exchanges

This fraud occurs when a property is exchanged for another council or social property without the landlord’s permission. Often exchanges are made for a one-off payment, and thus individuals are making a fraudulent financial profit from social housing.

Claiming housing costs

Claiming housing costs and not residing at the property. Examples could include living and working away, utilising their council property as a means of accommodation for when they return for a week or two over a period of time.

It could also include tenants that have a council property, who are residing elsewhere and utilising their home as a back-up, in the event that a relationship was to breakdown.

Using the property to run a business

The business could include Airbnb type accommodation, whereby visitors book themselves via an online portal and pay per night.

It could also include running other types of businesses and utilising the property space as a business space rather than a home.

Tenancy fraud is a criminal offence

It could result in a prosecution. Anyone convicted of housing fraud may receive substantial fines, a custodial sentence and a criminal record.

Fraudsters found to be abusing the housing system can be struck off the housing register, losing their entitlement to social housing in the future.

Investigators have powers to obtain information to determine if fraud is taking place and housing providers can seek legal orders to recover profits made by those who sublet.