How a customer report helped up uncover tenancy fraud

Tenancy fraud can take different forms, but one of the most common is when a customer rents out their home to someone else without permission. This is known as ‘unlawful subletting’ and can prevent another person or family from accessing a much-needed affordable home.

Customers can play an important part in helping us uncover tenancy fraud. If you suspect someone is subletting their home, or something just doesn't seem right, you can raise a ‘misconduct’ case through MyAccount or call 0800 3 282 282. You don't need proof before contacting us, and we'll look into any concerns you report.

A recent subletting case showed how important customer reports are. A customer raised concerns with us that the named tenant of one of their neighbouring homes was rarely in and other people appeared to be living there. We took the information they reported and began to look into the situation.

We found evidence that the named tenant was no longer using it as their main home and that it had been unlawfully sublet. After gathering the evidence we needed, we took legal action to recover the home. The court granted possession and, following further legal proceedings, it was returned to us. The property can now be offered to a household in genuine need of a home.

Neal Ackcral, Hyde’s Chief Operating Officer, said:

“We all know that there is immediate need for more affordable homes across the country. Our customers rightly expect us to make sure those homes are used as intended.

“When we find out that a home isn't being used by the person who's entitled to live there, we'll investigate thoroughly and take action to put that right. We're grateful to customers who tell us about potential tenancy fraud. What might seem like a small piece of information can help us return homes to people who need them.

“A home can change someone's life. It can give a family stability, help someone stay close to work, school or support networks, and provide the security people need to move forward. That's why tackling tenancy fraud is so important.”

This case shows that tenancy fraud isn't always obvious. Sometimes it's simply a pattern of things that don't seem right, like tenant rarely being seen, different people coming and going, or signs that someone other than the named tenant is living at the property.

You can find out more about what tenancy fraud is and how to look out for it here.