Proposals to make sub-letting of council houses a criminal offence have been hailed as a positive move by eviction specialist Paul Shamplina.
Shamplina, of Landlord Action, said he has often been called in by landlords to evict problem tenants – only to discover that the real problem is the landlord.
He said: “This is an extremely positive step in combating long-term abuse of the social housing system.
“There have been a growing number of tenants acting as landlords by sub-letting their council properties for their own financial gain, and this is to the detriment of thousands of other vulnerable people.
“In the past, we have experienced ‘landlords’ seeking our assistance to evict their tenant, only to find out that the property is not in fact theirs and the ‘tenant’ is not actually aware the property is being illegally sub-let.
“Hopefully, imprisonment of up to two years as well as a hefty fine will act as a deterrent.”
Some estimates suggest that between 50,000 and 160,000 social homes are being unlawfully occupied across the country.
Housing minister Grant Shapps’ proposals include a new criminal offence with a maximum of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to £50,000 if the case goes to the Crown Court. Proceeds of tenancy fraud would be reimbursed to the rightful landlord.
Local councils would also be given more powers to investigate through greater access to data from banks and utility companies.
While councils can currently request data, organisations can refuse to provide it. The proposed changes would oblige them to comply.
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