Tenancy fraud

We help to house many people in the society including those who face challenges. We want to ensure that the people living in our properties are legally entitled to be there.

Tenancy cheats are preventing us from housing those that may have been waiting a long time and are in desperate need for a home.

What is tenancy fraud?
Here’s a look at the different types of tenancy fraud there is

  • False Right To Buy/Right To Acquire – where a customer makes a Right to Buy or Right to Acquire application and gives false information in their application.
  • Key selling – where a customer is paid to pass on their keys in return for a one-off payment.
  • Obtaining housing by deception – where a person gets a home by giving false information on their housing application.
  • Unlawful assignment – where a customer stops using their tenancy as their main or principal home, allowing another person to live there without permission from Riverside.
  • Unlawful subletting – where a customer rents out their home without the knowledge or permission of the landlord.
  • Wrongly claimed succession – where the resident dies and someone tries to take over or succeed the tenancy which they are not entitled to.

If you’re a Riverside customer and commit tenancy fraud you will be in breach of your tenancy agreement and you are breaking the law. In addition to the risk of losing your home you could incur significant court costs. Tenancy Fraud holds a penalty of up to 2 years in prison and a £50,000 fine.

How do I report tenancy fraud?
If you think someone in your area may be subletting their home; living elsewhere or suspect any of the other types of tenancy fraud, please report this to us in confidence.
Call the customer service centre on 0345 111 0000
Email us [email protected]

Riverside take cases of tenancy fraud very seriously and will investigate all queries reported and take action.