Transcript Tenancy Fraud - Supporting Communities

Tenancy Fraud
Claire Crainey
Landlord Policy
What is Tenancy Fraud?
• Housing tenancy fraud is the
use of social housing by
someone who is not entitled to
it:
• Giving false information on a
housing application
• Abandonment of a property and
living elsewhere
• Subletting a property to
someone who is not entitled to
live there
• False succession
• Right to Buy Fraud
Tackling Social Housing Tenancy
Fraud in Northern Ireland
• Draft NIHE Tenancy Fraud Strategy April
2013
• NIAO Report published September 2013
• Suggested 2% of social housing stock could
be affected by Tenancy Fraud (2,400
properties)
• Set out a series of recommendations to
help tackle Tenancy Fraud inc tenancy
audits
• Public Accounts Committee & Report – 6
recommendations including establishing a
baseline
• Updated NIHE Policy & Action Plan
Principles of a tenancy audit
• Key tool for landlords to ensure houses are being
used by the correct person
• Various approaches:
• Targeted samples Vs Random Samples
• Good Practice from Tenancy Fraud Forum:
• Tenants who continually keep their rent account in
credit
• New instances of anti-social behaviour in an area
which previously had none
• Failure to allow access for annual heating services
• Lack of repairs requests/general contact
• Information from Contractors (e.g. locks on bedroom
doors).
2014 Audit
• 2,845 properties selected based
on:
• No repairs reported in previous
12 months
• Properties highlighted by Budget
Energy (BBC Spotlight)
• 24 properties successfully
recovered
• Audits carried out by local
offices with complex cases
further investigated by Tenancy
Fraud Investigations Unit
2015 Audit
• PAC Recommendation to establish “evidence based baseline
figure for level of Tenancy Fraud in NI”
• Random sample selected across all Areas - 1,000 tenancies
• Timetable:
• Addresses and Guidance issued to Regional and Area Managers
by 16th March 2015
• Preparation and Planning Phase (inc. staff training) 16th – 27th
March 2015
• 5 week visit period from 27th March – 1st May
• Cases identified as potential TF cases could take much longer to
fully investigate
• Testing of Risk Matrix
2015 Audit Process
• Unannounced visits
• Checking that the correct tenant is in the property
• Proof of ID e.g. Passport, Driving Licence
• Confirm residence
• Proof of Residency e.g. Utility Bills
• Other Residents in household
Outcomes/Year Ahead
• Tenancy Fraud Baseline to be established by September
2015
• Evaluate the value of using a risk matrix for future
targeting of tenancy audits
• Roll out other strands of the tenancy fraud action plan:
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Liaise with DSD re specific legislation
NIHE Investigations team for complex cases
Staff training
Publicity