We are in a national housing crisis and Manchester is feeling the effects.
There are currently over 20,000 people/families on our register waiting to access social housing. We have a very limited number of properties to let each year.
People may wait years for an offer of suitable accommodation. They are often forced to stay in expensive temporary accommodation, which puts a huge strain on families and finances.
Fraud reduces the availability of social housing at a time of extreme demand.
Every case of housing fraud represents a property that could be used by a person or family on the waiting list.
Types of tenancy fraud
Tenancy fraud is a criminal offence.
The most common types are:
- Where a social housing tenant has rented out the whole of their property and is not living there themselves. For example, the property is not their only or main property.
- Where someone tries to take over a tenancy after the tenant’s death when they are not eligible. This may involve a person falsely claiming to have lived with the deceased tenant before their death.
- When someone has or is attempting to get social housing based on false information they have already provided. For example, someone failing to declare they already own a property.
- A tenant knowingly providing false information or failing to disclose information when applying to buy a property under the right to buy scheme. This includes not living in the property as their only or main home.
We will take enforcement action against those guilty of tenancy fraud.