Tenancy Cheats 'Costing Councils £900m a Year'

Housing tenancy fraud is costing councils in England around £900 million a year, according to National Fraud Authority (NFA).  The fraud includes unlawful subletting, succession fraud and use of false information in a housing application to gain a tenancy.  In 2011, the Audit Commission estimated that at least 50,000 properties are subject to tenancy fraud in England, providing an average cost of £18,000 to house a family or individual in temporary housing per year.  Multiplying this average cost of temporary housing with the number of properties unlawfully occupied (which would otherwise be available for occupation) the NFA estimates that housing tenancy fraud costs local authorities in England around £900 million a year.  The NFA estimates the figure is unchanged from last year's annual fraud indicator. Read more on 24dash.