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RBH News
Sub-Letting gets the boot!
April 22, 2010, 03:11:16 PM
| Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) is appealing for help from members of the public to stop housing cheats and help ensure that homes are given to people in genuine housing need, who have waited their turn and therefore rightly deserve them.
As an organisation which manages nearly 14,000 council homes across the borough, we feel we must take a firm approach to the country’s growing problem of housing fraud. As part of a national government scheme, run by the Audit Commission, we have been given funding to tackle the issue in Rochdale across all social housing in the borough and the initiative is being led by our in-house Legal Services Team.
Housing fraud can take many forms and includes unlawful sub-letting. This practice occurs when Council or housing association homes are sub-let to others without getting the consent of the landlord, and therefore in breach of the terms of the tenancy agreement. Fraud can also occur when people get houses by deception, giving false information. Any such case is unfair, and it is depriving those with greater need of a home.
Furthermore, in addition to possibly losing their tenancy, those who unlawfully sub-let a council home will soon become liable for criminal action.
There is great demand for social housing, and it is fundamental to the quality of life of families and individuals in Rochdale, who cannot afford to buy properties or who are unable to find suitable affordable accommodation in the private sector.
Gareth Swarbrick, RBH’s Chief Executive said, “RBH is committed to tackling this problem. Housing fraud is a serious issue, where genuine applicants for council housing are penalised by others trying to fiddle the system. We will take swift and robust action to deal with these people and recover the properties for those genuinely in need of them. ”
If you do have any information, you can contact us on our freephone number: 0300 303 8018 or via email: tenancyfraud@rbhousing.co.uk
Reports can be made anonymously, and anything discussed will be held in the strictest confidence.
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