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Article: Housing Fraud

Report a housing fraud!Reporting a fraud

What is fraud?

Fraud is where someone deceives another person or organisation to get goods, services, benefits or money that they are not entitled to.   

The following situations are examples of where a fraud is being committed by someone who:

  • is not living at their council property or perhaps is sub letting to someone else.
  • has obtained the right to buy but does not qualify. 
  • has got a council house using a false identity.
  • has applied to the council as homeless but has somewhere to live. 
  • is using their home to run an illegal business.
  • is using Berneslai Homes’ resources (such as building materials) for personal gain or offering them for sale.

How do I report fraud?

Berneslai Homes takes fraud seriously and we want to hear what you if you have any concerns.

We encourage members of the public who suspect fraud and corruption to report it by using our Compliments, Complaints and Suggestions procedure - ‘Your comments count’.  You can do this in several different ways:

  • Online by using our online fraud reporting form 
  • By emailing our Customer Services Team
  • By completing the complaint form at the back of our 'Your Comments Count’ leaflet.
  • By writing to us at: Berneslai Homes Customer Services, PO Box 627, Barnsley, S70 9FZ
  • By phoning us on 01226 775555.
  • You can also report fraud to our Freephone Hotline on 0800 138 2939. Outside normal office hours you can leave an answer phone message.

All reports of fraud are treated in the strictest confidence.

Can I report fraud anonymously?

We encourage everyone to put their name to allegations because anonymous concerns are much more difficult to follow up and prove. But we will consider taking action against an anonymous report of fraud. Where we receive an anonymous report we will consider the following things before we take action.

  • The seriousness of the issues reported.
  • Whether we believe that a fraud is being committed. 
  • Whether we can confirm the allegation without a witness. 

If I report fraud, will you keep my identity confidential?

We will make every effort to protect your identity.

Will you keep me up to date with the investigation?

Where we can, we will keep you up to date with our investigation and its outcome.

What if I don’t want to report fraud to you or the council?

If you feel it is right to report fraud to someone other than Berneslai Homes, you can do so in one of the following ways:

  • Your local Councillor – if you live within the borough of Barnsley, you can contact your local councillor at the Town Hall, or at their regular surgery in your area. If you are unsure how to contact them, call the Council on 01226 775555 for advice or use the Barnsley Council website. 
  • The Police – you can report suspicions of fraud or corruption to the Police by phoning 101. 
  • The Local Government Ombudsman – this is an independent body set up by the Government to deal with complaints against Councils in the United Kingdom. Their phone number is 01904 380200. Their contact address is:
    Beverley House
    17 Shipton Road
    York
    YO30 SFZ
  • Public Concern at Work – this is a charity which provides free and strictly confidential legal help to anyone concerned about a malpractice which threatens the public interest.  They operate a helpline on 0171 404 6609 or can be e-mailed at whistle@pcaw.demon.co.uk.

What about suspicions of housing benefit fraud?

You can report housing benefit fraud in the following ways:

 Unlawful subletting / obtaining a Barnsley Council home by giving false information

Berneslai Homes are committed to tackling housing fraud; we have a duty to protect our residents, rent and service charges and to make sure people don’t abuse the system.

You can now report a suspected housing fraud direct by:

Calls to the Housing Fraud Hotline are treated in strict confidence and you can remain anonymous, or you can leave your name and contact details if you want us to keep you informed about the action we take. We are currently offering a reward of up to £500 for information that leads to the recovery of the first ten homes under this scheme. We need you details for you to qualify for a reward.   
  
 You may know or suspect someone who:

  • Is not living at their council property (may be illegally subletting or applying for the right to buy)
  • Has obtained a council tenancy using a false identity or given false information eg a family who have claimed to be lodging with family but own their home.
  • Abandoned their property

Abandoned properties

Residents with secure tenancies are required to occupy the property as their sole or main residence.

If it is a joint tenancy at least one of the joint tenants must occupy the property as his/her sole residence. If you discover a property has become empty or the residents have left the property and have not returned then this may be abandonment and a breach of tenancy conditions.

We will carry out a full investigation and if the property has been abandoned will take the necessary legal action to obtain possession of property.

Unlawful subletting

Residents with tenancies are not allowed to rent out their home and live somewhere else – this is called unlawful subletting.

We take unlawful subletting very seriously, the demand for our homes is very high and unlawful subletting deprives people who want to transfer or who are in housing need. We will investigate every case and take legal action for possession of the property whenever we can.

The Tenants’ Charter gives you the right to sublet part of your home or take in lodgers. You can let out a room in your home to a lodger or sub-tenant but you cannot let the whole of your house and you must be living there with your lodger or sub-tenant.

We carry out regular tenancy reviews on a programmed basis and in response to reports from residents and from other sources. If we find someone else in your home that you have not told us about and you appear to be living elsewhere we will take legal action to end your tenancy.

Residents who own their own home (known as leaseholders) can rent a room or sublet their home without our permission but they should let us know as it can affect their building insurance.

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