Tenancy Fraud Key Amnesty 1st – 31st May 2017

2 May 2017 by Aoibhinn McCrea

The demand for social housing remains high, but unfortunately every year people in genuine need of a home are deprived by others who obtain tenancies be committing fraud.

Apex is committed to preventing tenancy fraud. During the month of May, Apex along with other housing associations and the Housing Executive will be involved in a Key Amnesty to tackle tenancy fraud.

What is a Key Amnesty?

A key amnesty is a time-limited (usually one month) initiative, which seeks to bring social housing properties, currently subject to tenancy fraud, back into use. The May amnesty will allow any social tenant, who is not occupying their property or is committing other forms of tenancy fraud, to give up their tenancy during the one month period. No legal action will be taken against them in respect of the tenancy fraud. The key amnesty will also raise awareness with the public, not just social housing tenants, to encourage the reporting of suspected tenancy fraud.

What is Tenancy Fraud?

• Giving false or misleading information in a housing application to improve the chances of getting a property;
• Abandoning or not occupying a property;
• Sub-letting a property to someone who is not entitled to live there;
• False succession where the tenancy is taken over, often on the death of the tenant, by someone who falsely claims to have been living there for some time;
• Providing false or misleading information on an application to purchase the property under the right to buy scheme.

During the May Amnesty property keys can be returned to the Housing Executive or any housing association office where a tenancy termination should be signed. The tenancy will be terminated with immediate effect without the need for the required notice period. However, failure to sign the termination may result in a four-week rental charge being applied.

For more information contact your Housing Officer at Tel: 028 71 304 800 or by email housingadmin@apex.org.uk.
Further information can be found at www.nifha.org/nifhanews