At a housing scrutiny panel meeting held at Enfield Civic Centre on April 22, concerning instances of fraud in the borough were discussed. One case involved the ‘Right to Buy’ scheme, where Enfield Council obtained evidence indicating that a tenant had spent significant time outside of the UK, was married, and had purchased a property in the US where they likely resided with their family.

Another case involved illegal subletting, with the council’s fraud team discovering suspicious banking transactions predominantly occurring in the Isle of Wight, revealing unauthorized subletting activity. Housing fraud is defined as the unauthorized occupation or subletting of a council property.

The council has successfully recovered 20 properties in the last couple of years due to illegal subletting, resulting in significant cost savings. Neil Wightman, the director of resident housing services, highlighted that the council’s counter fraud team focuses on complex cases related to housing fraud, including housing application fraud, occupancy and subletting fraud, succession fraud, and Right to Buy fraud.

The council’s approach to addressing housing fraud involves receiving information on suspected cases from various sources and taking necessary actions. Punitive measures for housing fraud typically involve seeking rent repayment orders through a tribunal, with the aim of rectifying any unfair enrichment. While most housing fraud cases are dealt with as civil matters, involving proving the tenant’s entitlement to housing rights, the council emphasizes the importance of combating housing fraud to preserve the limited housing resources available.