Tenancy & Housing Benefit Fraud
Tell Tale Signs
2013
Desk Aid
The aim of this guidance note is to:
Be a handy desk aid for use when you are considering referring a fraud case.
Make staff vigilant and aware of their responsibilities towards tenancy & benefit fraud.
Advise you of when & how to refer a case for investigation.
Advise you how to contact the team.
Contents
1. Introduction.
2. Tenancy Fraud
3. Benefit Fraud
4. How to refer a case & what to include in a referral.
5. How to contact us.
1. Introduction
Bolton at Home, Bolton Community Homes & Bolton Council has agreed to jointly investigate
tenancy and benefit fraud. Tenancy fraud is often linked to other criminal activities including benefit
fraud, anti-social behavior, identity fraud, credit fraud, the sex trade and drug cultivation.
The aim of this desk aid is to assist you in identifying signs that could indicate tenancy and benefit
fraud are being committed. As your job role involves regular contact with tenants, you often get to
see and hear what is happening within local communities. Your help is vitally important in detecting
fraudsters and in making a referral so we can investigate.
Ultimately it is hoped that a fraudulent tenancy will be relinquished, so it can be reallocated to a
rightful tenant. For successful benefit fraud investigations the tenant may be given a sanction such
as a caution or an administrative penalty or legal action could be taken against them.
2. Tenancy Fraud
There are numerous types of tenancy fraud; the main ones are listed below with tell-tale signs of
what to look for –

Sub-letting – The tenant is renting the whole property to another person/s for a profit or
otherwise. When you visit is the supposed tenant never at the property? Does the occupant always
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make excuses regarding the tenant’s whereabouts or refer to the tenant as their “landlord”? Are
there any internal doors locked that could potentially hide incriminating evidence? Are there any
items in the property that do not match the supposed household make-up i.e. children’s toys,
female belongings when only a male should be resident etc. or is there unopened mail addressed
to the occupant placed in a pile to one side?

Not Principle Home – The tenant is residing at another property most of the time and may
only return to check for mail etc. Is the tenant never in when you visit? Are the wheelie bins always
empty? Is there a build-up of mail behind the front door? Are there any signs of movement/change
since the last visit i.e. are the curtains always closed? If you manage to gain access on a planned
visit, is it obvious there is any sign of the property being lived in i.e. lack of furniture, lack of
personal possessions or lack of food in the cupboards and fridge?

Key Selling – The tenant sells the keys to the property for a one off payment. This may be
difficult to uncover, however if the same officer who signs the tenant up makes follow up visits is
there a different occupant in the property? Are their advertisements in the local area looking for
tenancies to buy?

Running a Business – The tenant is running a business from the property without consent
and that can cause damage to the property or cause a nuisance to neighbours. Have there been
any adaptations made to the house to accommodate a business? Is there any damage to the
property or communal area’s as a result of a business being run from the property? Are there
several vehicles at the property as if they are running a car garage?

Using False Information – A potential tenant could give false information to obtain a
property. This may only come to light after the tenant has gained a property. Are there any
discrepancies in the tenant’s story at the sign up stage? Is it clear from information they give that
they were in fact not homeless?

Right to Buy/Acquire Fraud – Tenants can give false information to ensure they qualify to
purchase the property. Is the tenant using the property as their main residence up to the purchase
of the property? Are their signs they are going to rent the property to other persons once the sale
goes through?
3. Benefit Fraud
More often than not you’ll know when housing benefit has been awarded to a tenant. It could be
credited directly to the rent account or you may receive notification letter from Bolton Council
advising of an entitlement.
There are several ways a tenant may commit benefit fraud, the main ones are listed below with
some tips to look out for –

Income related fraud - The true income coming into the household isn’t declared. This
includes undeclared working (this could relate to the tenant, their partner or any non-dependants).
Do you regularly see one or more occupants wearing a company uniform, logoed clothing, a
company ID badge or driving a company vehicle? Who is working and what company they are
working for? It would be very unlikely that the tenant would be awarded the full rate of housing
benefit if they or their partner is working.

Capital related fraud. - The tenant/their partner fail to declare their true savings,
investments and properties. Take notice of a tenant who appears to have a lavish lifestyle or is
paying for costly home improvements themselves. (These may be authorised or unauthorised
improvements).

Household member fraud - Undeclared partner/non dependants are living in the property. If
a number of adults reside in the property [and appear to be working], but most or all of the rent is
being paid by housing benefit it is possible that not all household members have been declared.

Tenancy & residency related fraud - The property has been sublet and benefit is being
paid in respect of the original tenant or the tenant is not residing in the property/has absconded
and failed to notify of a change of address. Signs of an empty property include someone calling
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regularly to collect mail only, no furniture in the property, curtains that remain open or closed,
windows have newspaper or windowlene on then constantly, a light is left on 24/7, or there are
never any lights on, wheelie bins aren’t put out on collection day, mail building up behind the door,
there is very little usage of a key fob etc.?

Failure to report changes in circumstances – The tenant fails to advise when their
circumstances change and the housing benefit award remains unchanged. This could include
another household member moving in, an increase in income or capital, you may become aware
that the tenant has won the lottery or received a large inheritance.

Collusion – This is when the tenant plots with others to commit fraud. It can include
subletting and key selling when all parties are aware of the arrangement and that benefit is being
paid. It is often difficult to prove as there could be no physical evidence of the conspiracy and you
are reliant on one person’s word against another.
Please don’t quiz the tenant directly about any suspicion of benefit fraud, this could tip them off or
cause them to change their routine.
As well as the aforementioned types of tenancy and housing benefit fraud, remain open minded to
more general factors, for example 
A tenant may be using fake or multiple identities. Is there a query over any evidence
provided as proof of ID or the ID does not match with details already held in the system?

Returned mail could indicate that the tenant has moved on.

If you ring a landline does the answer phone message indicate there is a business being run
from the premises?

Being continually unable to access a property, with or without an appointment this includes
staff from your own organisation, contractors or utility companies etc.

Continual failure to respond to correspondence from yourself or other officials.

Tenants in adjacent properties report repairs to their property, which have occurred as a
result of a problem within another property. The original problem remains unreported however.

Observations on CCTV, including what you don’t see, but would expect to see, e.g. others
regularly entering a property instead of the tenant, a tenant calling and leaving with mail, but never
entering the property with provisions such as food & shopping.

Information from neighbours, the police or the local newspaper.

Reports of the property being used by youths or others to socialise in.

Are children supposed to reside at the property, but there are no signs of them as well as
their parent/s?

A right to buy applicant has received full Housing Benefit historically. Where has the money
come from to buy a property/obtain a mortgage?
4. How to Refer a Case and What to Include in the Referral
We need your help in tackling tenancy fraud and housing benefit fraud. Any information you
provide will be used in the strictest confidence. Complete the referral form located at (Each
organisation to insert details here of where the fraud referral form is located).
It is important that you include as much information as possible on your referral. Please don’t
assume the investigator has the same knowledge you have, they won’t.

State why you believe a fraud is being committed.

If you have made some enquiries already, provide details of what you have established.

If a third party has given you information, tell us this, we will consider whether it would be
relevant to contact them.

Having names & descriptions of the residents, including the dates & times of their routines
and any car details (make, model, colour & registration) are often a vital starting point for the
Investigator.
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



If someone is working and you know where, tell us.
Also, if they are living with another person and you know who and where let us know.
If they are living a lavish life style, tell us about it, e.g. new cars, holidays etc.
If you know the person is violent, please include this too.
We do not expect you to know whether there is definitely any fraud that is for us to establish during
the investigation.
5. How to Contact Us
If you are unsure about your suspicions and would like to speak to a fraud specialist, telephone or
email the contacts below Bolton at Home & Bolton Community Homes 01204 335431
Housing Benefit Investigations 01204 328200
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Produced by Carol Walker (Counter Fraud Manager – Bolton Council) &
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Gareth Lord (Housing Project Officer Fraudulent Tenancies – Bolton at Home)
January 2012.
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