Tenancy fraud
Tenancy fraud is a serious breach of tenancy and is a criminal offence under the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013. Hightown is committed to taking action against all types of tenancy fraud to ensure that our homes are let to people in housing need.
Our Housing Officers carry out tenancy audits to ensure we have an accurate record of who is living in our properties.
Types of tenancy fraud include:
- Unlawful subletting: When a resident does not live in their property and rents it out to someone else without permission from Hightown
- Succession fraud: When someone who is not entitled tries to take over the tenancy following a resident’s death
- Key selling: When a resident passes on their keys to someone who takes over their tenancy illegally for a one-off payment
- Abandonment: When a resident does not live in their property and lives elsewhere, leaving it empty
Looking ahead
We will be holding a ‘Tenancy Fraud Key Amnesty’ event in October 2024. This will encourage residents to report any concerns they have regarding these issues as well as providing any residents committing tenancy fraud an opportunity to end their tenancy and return their keys without Hightown taking legal action taken against them in relation to the fraud.
If you have any concerns about any type of tenancy fraud, please get in touch.
Email: fraud@hightownha.org.uk
Call 01442 292 300 and ask to speak to the Housing team
Send a message via the website
Text us on 07768 286694
Report your concerns on MyHightown account.
Any information you give us will be treated in the strictest confidence.