2,400 Homes Are 'Occupied Fraudulently'

As many as 2,400 properties in Northern Ireland's social housing sector could be occupied fraudulently according to a report by Kieran Donnelly, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), and the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

Mr Donnelly said: "Public funded housing occupied by individuals not entitled to be there is illegal, immoral and unacceptable. Such fraudulent activity deprives those families most in need of a decent home. It also creates additional cost for the taxpayer in providing additional new build and temporary accommodation."

There are around 40,000 families on the Common Waiting List at any one time with around 20,000 each year being assessed as in housing stress i.e. to be in the most need, for reasons of health, intimidation, insecurity of tenure and housing conditions. Of these, around 3,000 families are placed into temporary accommodation. In 2012 the annual cost of this was in excess of £10 million.

Mr Donnelly added: "Tackling tenancy fraud in a proactive manner and bringing existing social housing units back into use is a cost effective way of addressing a significant housing shortfall in Northern Ireland."

The report recommends that the Department for Social Development, the Housing Executive and Housing Associations adopt and apply the best practice that has been developed in GB to tackle this type of fraud. This includes raising awareness amongst tenants and housing staff, introducing reporting hotlines, employing dedicated tenancy.

(CD/MH)