Making sure homes reach people that need them

It’s estimated that 148,000 social homes in England could be affected by tenancy fraud (PDF, 5MB) in some way.  

When we hear ‘tenancy fraud’, we often think of someone breaking the rules intentionally. But you could be going against your tenancy agreement without even realising.

That’s why this Fraud Awareness Week, we’re asking you to let us know if you’ve moved out of your Hyde property, or it’s no longer your main home. 

Most tenancies for our social homes require you to use the property as your main home. If you move out permanently or your circumstances mean you can no longer live there, it’s important to let us know right away. This is because keeping the tenancy can be considered tenancy fraud. 

A case we recently completed in Brighton highlighted how this can happen. 

A home returned in Brighton 

We received reports that a flat in Brighton didn’t seem to be lived in. We looked into the concerns and found that our customer had moved permanently into a care home. We got in touch with them to talk things through and they agreed to formally end their tenancy. The flat can now be offered to another person who needs a home. 

We know your tenancy may be the last thing on your mind when you’re dealing with a big change, but we’re here to make things easier. If you or someone supporting you can get in touch, we can help you sort out the tenancy so you can avoid problems further down the line. 

Neal Ackcral, Hyde’s Chief Operating Officer said: 

“Every home we get back is a chance for someone on the waiting list to have a place of their own. That can be the stability someone needs to put down roots and that’s why tackling tenancy fraud is so important to us. 

“This case shows that tenancy fraud isn’t always deliberate. If you’ve moved out or your living situation has changed, keeping us in the picture helps us understand what’s happened. We can then help you sort out your tenancy, rather than leave you to work it all out alone.” 

Talk to us if something changes 

If you’re struggling with your tenancy, need to spend time away or are moving elsewhere, please tell us. We can discuss your situation and support you with the next steps and avoid tenancy fraud from happening. 

You can also help us by telling us if you’re concerned about one of your neighbours’ homes too. You might have noticed someone hasn’t been seen for a long time, post is building up or a home doesn’t seem to be lived in. These are some of the signs we ask customers to tell us about.  

It doesn’t necessarily mean someone is doing something wrong, and you don’t need to investigate or have proof. Just tell us what you’ve noticed and we’ll look into it.

You can report a concern through MyAccount or by callng us on 0800 3 282 282. 

Every home we bring back into use is another home for someone who needs it. Thank you for helping us make that happen.