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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Crackdown on council house cheats | Crackdown on council house cheats |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The government is launching a crackdown on thousands of cheats who fraudulently acquire or sublet their council and housing association homes. | The government is launching a crackdown on thousands of cheats who fraudulently acquire or sublet their council and housing association homes. |
| Up to 50,000 homes in England are sublet by people who live elsewhere and earn thousands of pounds by charging higher rental rates for the properties. | Up to 50,000 homes in England are sublet by people who live elsewhere and earn thousands of pounds by charging higher rental rates for the properties. |
| Housing minister John Healey wants to recover up to 10,000 homes and give them to those in real need. | Housing minister John Healey wants to recover up to 10,000 homes and give them to those in real need. |
| More than 140 councils have signed up to the government's crackdown already. | More than 140 councils have signed up to the government's crackdown already. |
| Councils and housing associations will benefit from a share of £4m to set up their own anti-fraud initiatives. | Councils and housing associations will benefit from a share of £4m to set up their own anti-fraud initiatives. |
| This will include special hotlines and crack squads to investigate fraud allegations. | This will include special hotlines and crack squads to investigate fraud allegations. |
| £500 rewards | £500 rewards |
| Mr Healey will hand over information about 8,000 potential cheats, found when the Audit Commission compared tenancy records against those held by councils, housing associations and other public bodies. | Mr Healey will hand over information about 8,000 potential cheats, found when the Audit Commission compared tenancy records against those held by councils, housing associations and other public bodies. |
| He is also offering a reward of £500 to anyone who helps trap a cheat. Half of all homes recovered from cheats are as a result of tip-offs from neighbours. | He is also offering a reward of £500 to anyone who helps trap a cheat. Half of all homes recovered from cheats are as a result of tip-offs from neighbours. |
| Those who are caught will lose their home and may lose the right to rent a social housing property in the future. | Those who are caught will lose their home and may lose the right to rent a social housing property in the future. |
| Residents in the sublet properties may not know about the fraud. | Residents in the sublet properties may not know about the fraud. |
| About 80% do not qualify for social housing and will have to find a new home in the private sector. | About 80% do not qualify for social housing and will have to find a new home in the private sector. |
| Research by the Audit Commission shows the number of homes unlawfully acquired or sublet could be anything from one in 100 to one in 20 in inner-city areas, and as many as 50,000 across the country. | Research by the Audit Commission shows the number of homes unlawfully acquired or sublet could be anything from one in 100 to one in 20 in inner-city areas, and as many as 50,000 across the country. |
| It costs £3,000 to recover a home from a tenancy cheat, compared to the total cost of building a new council or housing association property, which is in excess of £100,000. | It costs £3,000 to recover a home from a tenancy cheat, compared to the total cost of building a new council or housing association property, which is in excess of £100,000. |
| Have you been evicted from a property because your landlord was a council tenancy cheat? | |
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