Housing Solicitors

London’s biggest social landlord, Southwark Council, has launched a new anti-fraud tool to prevent illegal subletting.

In a bid to clamp down on fraudulent landlords, Southwark Council has set up the new website ilatch to help identify landlords who profit from unlawfully subletting their council properties to unsuspecting tenants.

The website allows users to check a property’s number and postcode – and will reveal if a house/flat advertised for rent is council owned or not.

If so, a report is immediately made to Southwark’s fraud team for further investigation.

The team has already recovered more than 1,000 properties in the last three years using data matching technology and through making occupancy checks.

The council says that illegal letting of council-owned properties currently costs Southwark Council thousands of pounds – and puts renters at risk of possible eviction, if their property is found to belong to the council. Illegal subletting also reduces the number of council homes available for genuine applicants.

The database is currently limited to council housing stock, but the council hopes to join forces with housing associations, estate agents and local authorities from across the country to create a greater deterrent for fraudsters.

Southwark Council Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Richard Livingstone, said:

“We want to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to illegally sublet in Southwark.

“Nationally, we’re recognised for our efforts to curb illegal subletting through data matching and vigorous tenancy checks. Now we are going further: catching fraudsters as soon as they try to let the property and preventing unsuspecting renters from the inevitable knock on the door from our fraud officers, followed by eviction.

“With ever increasing pressures on council budgets, it’s absolutely vital that our limited housing stock goes to people in genuine need and not criminal landlords.”

Lee Whitelock – Director at estate agent Garrett Whitelock – added:

“We’re delighted to be one of the first estate agents to sign up to ilatch and join Southwark in its fight against illegal subletting.

“The growing demand for housing presents opportunities for unscrupulous landlords to exploit renters.

“With ilatch, we can now take proactive steps to weed out these fraudsters and work with responsible landlords to provide quality homes to renters.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis housing solicitors are one of the UK’s leading providers of Legal Aid housing advice and can advise private sector rental tenants and social housing tenants on a wide range of housing matters, including:

• Disrepair of rented property
• Anti-social behaviour problems
• Housing Benefit
• Housing fraud
• Local Authority housing
• Local council’s obligation to re-house (Section 193)
• Nuisance neighbours
• Right to Buy (including conveyancing)
• Tenancy agreements
• Unlawful eviction.

For expert legal advice on housing law, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 0333 772 0409.