Report fraud

Fraud costs you money. Every penny lost to fraud means that the council has less to spend on providing the services you want. So please tell us about fraud affecting the council.

Examples of fraud:

  • claiming services when not entitled, such as using disabled parking permits and claiming grants
  • sub-letting council property
  • committing landlord fraud
  • claiming benefit when not entitled
  • doing anything else involving the council that you think might be fraudulent or illegal.

We also deal with serious or sensitive concerns about wrongdoing, including:

  • corruption
  • clients, children or students, particularly children and adults in our care, being mistreated
  • unauthorised use of council money
  • an unlawful act
  • any danger to health and safety
  • a person abusing their position for any unauthorised use or for personal gain
  • a person deliberately not keeping to a council policy, an official code of practice or any law or regulation
  • a person failing to meet appropriate professional standards

Your concern may be about Councilor’s, members of staff, people who work directly for the council, suppliers or people who provide services to the public for Tower Hamlets council.

Housing and tenancy fraud

The council are under ever increasing pressure for the provision of social housing so we have to make sure that our homes go to and are occupied by those legally entitled to them. If you are on the waiting list you will wait even longer if homes are allocated to or occupied by those who have no right to be there.

How to report housing and tenancy fraud

Rob Watt – Investigation Manager
Tel: 07732 402614
Email:Rob.Watt@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Email: socialhousingfraud@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Email: corporatefraud@towerhamlets.gov.uk

You don't need to leave your details when giving us the fraud information. If you do want to leave your details, they will be kept in the strictest confidence.

Tenancy fraud is a criminal offence and will be prosecuted under the prevention of social housing fraud act 2013 (POSHFA).

Convictions can result in a fine, imprisonment or both. The courts also have the power to make the tenant pay back any profit made from the fraud.

Examples of tenancy fraud

Application / allocation fraud

A prospective tenant knowingly provides false information on their housing application in order to gain a property.

Subletting fraud

A tenant rents out all of their property on a short or long term basis to someone else without the knowledge and permission of the landlord.

Right to buy fraud

A tenant knowingly provides false information when applying to buy the house they live in under the scheme.

Succession fraud

A person moves into a property when the legal tenant either dies or moves away and that person does not have the right to move in.

Tenancy fraud officers work closely with other departments in the council and external agencies and we do make regular visits and checks both in and out of the borough.

We will actively pursue any persons who are committing any type of housing fraud to ensure that our housing is occupied by those with both the right and the need to be there.

Report fraud