Rights and responsibilities

Tenancy fraud

We ran a key amnesty from 10 October to 9 November, to give people who made a false housing application, are subletting their council house illegally or have abandoned it, the chance to hand in the keys - no questions asked - to help free up homes for those in genuine need.

Now, we are cracking down on this type of fraud using data matching technology. If proven in court, you may be fined up to £50k, receive a criminal record and could be sent to prison. You’re likely to lose your tenancy and you could lose your right to council housing in the future if you’re caught committing housing fraud.

What is housing fraud?

Housing fraud includes:

  • not telling the truth when applying for housing – e.g. claiming to be single when you have a partner or giving a false address history
  • sub-letting a property whilst you live elsewhere
  • telling us you live at the property when you don’t
  • applying to succeed to a tenancy of someone who has died by submitting false information

Contact us

If you want to own up or if you suspect that a property is not occupied or illegal subletting is going on, contact us in complete confidence:

Email: benefitfraud@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 300 4154