Cornerstone on Social Housing Fraud

In response to social housing fraud, the Government introduced the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013, which made sub-letting and parting with possession of social lets a specific criminal offence and granted local authorities the power to prosecute those who had acted in such a manner. Not only can offenders be jailed, but they can also be fined and ordered to pay an unlawful profit order, thus opening up a revenue opportunity to cash-strapped social landlords.

Social housing fraud is an important and high profile issue. This title provides a thorough overview of this regime and how local authorities can maximise their chances of recovering possession of properties affected by fraud, obtaining ‘compensation’ and securing a conviction, including techniques for effective evidence gathering.

Topics covered, include:

• Possession action in the county court - Sub-letting/parting with possession - Investigation powers - Criminal offences and procedure - Civil remedies - GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018

For ease of reference, relevant primary and secondary legislation has been included within the appendices, which also includes templates for: Particulars of Claim (county court), Complaint (magistrates’ court) Notice to Quit and Notice Seeking Possession. There is also a useful landlord checklist, to ensure nothing has been overlooked during what can be a complex process.