Arun District Council says a targeted crackdown on housing fraud has helped return homes to those most in need, while saving public money.
The authority has a dedicated Housing Fraud Investigation Officer within its enforcement team, focused on identifying suspected fraud, protecting public funds and ensuring properties are fairly allocated.
Housing fraud can include people unlawfully subletting homes, providing false information or remaining in properties they are no longer entitled to occupy. The council says such activity undermines trust, misuses public resources and delays access to housing for genuine applicants.
Figures released by the council show that 15 properties have been recovered and returned to housing stock over the past year. In addition, 20 further cases of fraud have been proven, including 12 mutual exchange refusals and six succession refusals.
Together, the council estimates this work has prevented around £1.5 million in housing fraud.
Officials say the results highlight the importance of ongoing enforcement work, with the investigation team playing a key role in identifying and tackling misuse of social housing.
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