Kennington News

Lambeth Council’s hardline policy against housing fraud is paying off.

The council’s housing investigation team has successfully recovered 35 properties that were either obtained illegally or where tenants have breached their condition of tenancy.
The team have undertook a number of criminal prosecutions and saved the equivalent of £1.75 million worth of fraud.

Councillor John Kazantzis, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "It is vital that our resources should be used for the benefit of residents with a genuine housing need. That is why we are committed to cracking down on these fraudsters."

The key to successfully tackling housing fraud is partnership working and the investigation team works closely with outside agencies like the police, Home Office, Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The team recently carried out five criminal prosecutions where they have established that tenancies have been obtained fraudulently and there are a further five prosecutions underway.

Councillor Jim Dickson, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "Joined up working is the most effective way of dealing with fraud. Actively pursuing these cheats mean we can reclaim resources and use them to deliver better services."

Mojisola Adeyeye, 32, was found guilty of obtaining a property in West Norwood by deception. Investigators were alerted to this case when she applied to purchase the property under the right to buy scheme. They were able to establish that she gave false information when she was allocated the one bed-roomed property in West Norwood when she applied in her maiden name. She failed to inform the council that she had a husband who had already been housed by the council. She was found guilty at the Inner London Crown Court where she was fined £500 and ordered to paycosts of £500. The right to buy application was refused and the property repossessed.

Andrew O'Keefe, 46, was given a 12 month suspended sentence and ordered to pay costs of £260 when he pleaded guilty to obtaining a Lambeth property by deception. He had not been living at the flat on the Ponders End Estate since 1998 when he applied to buy the property under the right to buy scheme. Investigators found him living in Crawley. Unfortunately it was too late for Lambeth to get the property back, but the legal team are in the process of getting financial recompense for the property.

Ayeasha Pemberton, 28, of Kennington was ordered to give up possession of her council tenancy and pay her rent arrears of £5203.61, plus damages for trespass of £3909.66, and repay Housing Benefit of £4586.78 and Council Tax of £715.16. Lambeth were awarded costs of £4841.25. She had been claiming benefit from Lambeth Council on the basis the she resided at her council tenancy on the Vauxhall Gardens Estate. In addition she had applied to purchase that property from the council at a discount. In fact, she was resident at a privately rented property in South Norwood, for which she also claimed benefit from Croydon Council. This was a second court attendance for Pemberton who previously pleaded guilty at the Inner London Crown Court to housing benefit and council tax benefit fraud of in excess of £5000. On that occasion she was sentenced to six months imprisonment.

Landlords and letting agents do not escape Lambeth’s eagle-eyed investigators either. In April 2006 Locate Properties of Streatham were found guilty of letting a council property to a tenant without Lambeth’s permission. Locate Properties were fined £250 with costs of £150. It is the responsibility of letting agents to ensure that they know the true landlord of the property, in this case it was Lambeth Council and not their client.

Lambeth has set up a confidential fraud hotline. If you suspect housing fraud contact 020 7926 1111.