Tenants stripped of homes after council fraud investigation
Ten council homes have been taken away from residents over concerns of fraud.
Cannock Chase District Council has launched 30 tenancy fraud investigations since 2017, with a third of these resulting in homes being confiscated.
Residents not occupying their council home as their only or main address was the most common form of tenancy fraud, while other cases involved subletting and fraudulent Right to Buy applications.
In response to the findings, the council’s cabinet has approved a tenancy fraud policy, which will “ensure tenants understand the process and what actions are to be taken where evidence of fraud has been detected.”
A report added: “Early intervention and prevention is the priority, and it is hoped that a clear policy will deter prospective and existing tenants from committing tenancy fraud.”
Council leader George Adamson has vowed to remove any council home tenants who are not there lawfully.
He said: “Tenancy fraud is something we need to keep on top of because our stock of homes is not massive.
“The fraud is not huge but it does exist and we need to crack down where we find it, to ensure those in council properties get in lawfully and correctly. If they are not we will get them out.”
As part of the new fraud policy, the council has pledged to explain subletting and its consequences to tenants when they sign up, as well as advertising how tenancy fraud can be reported confidentially to the council.
By Kerry Ashdown
Local Democracy Reporter
