Aibu to report neighbours

I'd lean into it for my and the area's benefit. Nothing to be gained from reporting IMO, the council would probably take 18 months to do anything anyway!

I would offer to turn on the lights, open the curtains and windows to air it out, or whatever would make the place look lived in, asking of course if you could do that for them. If the grass needs cutting especially in the front (if there is grass), I'd offer to do that too now and then.

No point in reporting and waiting months for anything to be done (if anything would be done), while you could make sure the house and gardens are looking ok.

You could say they should do that themselves. Fair enough if they do, but if they don't, and if they are ok with it, the above is what I would offer, for my sake and the sake of safety from burglars (not guaranteed) and the look of the road.

It's really tricky; my moral compass is saying not to report as it's someone's life you are fucking with, and it sounds like they were probably in a difficult situation housing wise but also reliant on support, so on balance have made the decision to tough out the difficult housing situation in order to reach their long term goal of a secure home in the area.

I understand the need by LA's, but I think it's also really harsh how far councils can place homeless families away from their local authority or local area. I would hate to have to uproot my children from their stability especially if you are in a vulnerable situation.

However, I'm on the social housing waiting list and it's highly unlikely I will ever be offered anything because the demand is so high, and it stings to know there are situations where properties are standing empty, and understand the desire to prevent this where possible.

I'd also think about the practicality. I reported my neighbour (lots of issues with squalor, drugs and police raids), as no longer being at the property and our housing association did put up a notice of abandonment literally taped to the front door, however he saw it and was able to contact them just in time. The process is longwinded and easily thwarted by the tenants as long as they have paperwork and don't miss the period for the notice of abandonment (not sure what it's officially called).

I’d give a factual account to the council based on what you’ve observed (ie nothing that they’ve told only you). The fraud team at the council have ways to determine occupancy rates, and will take it from there. Your account should remain confidential.
I am astounded at the posters saying keep quiet and enjoy having a vacant property next to you. That might work either way bus seats but is an atrocity in the context of housing!

Using logic.
if they were paying themselves, they’d be privately renting in a place they wanted to live

Why is it 'logic' that they must not be paying their own rent?

Whilst I don't agree with what they're doing, that's quite an assumption. I'm in a council property. I have a full time job and pay my rent.

Generally the council needs a court order to recover possession so even if they are found to have abandoned the tenancy it will be a slow process to get them out of the property.

I'm on Universal credit now but I worked full time for decades and paid rent. My mum paid rent and worked full time. I don't know where people get the notion that council houses are only for people on benefits

It is common in the area that I live in to have a mix of people who are working and people on benefits in council/social housing.

That's quite an assumption given that you said you've seen them twice in 6 months.

I’d report it purely on the basis that it is unfair that a family in need is likely in temp accommodation and suffering while this family appears to have options not to stay in the house at all if they aren’t living there. I don’t think having one empty house on the street makes the street a target for break-ins though.

In fairness, for transparency I am also on Universal Credit. In an ideal world I wouldn't have to claim it, but I'm a single parent and unfortunately single incomes no longer cover outgoings without being topped up by UC (unless you're on a very good high salary of course). But yeah. I hate this impression people seem to have that if you're in a council house you must live off benefits and not pay your own rent or anything.

Well maybe some posters have experience of what some councils do when they are told people aren't living in their tenancies -nothing.

Is this a family who moved in? Mum dad kids ? Or single mum with kids?

How would that make a difference ?

Because the Op stated that the Op has a partner who doesn't live there but spoke about neighbours in the first post.

In fairness though, it’s often the reason properties stand empty - because the address is used to pay single rate benefits while the person lives elsewhere with a partner. Not an unreasonable assumption.

The person in question could work. The OP knows literally nothing about them.

Not saying she does. Just saying it’s a reasonable assumption.

If you really want to report then that's up to you but as I said previously it will involve a court order and it will be a slow process.

And if it turns out they’re committing benefit fraud for example, you would be complicit.

No they wouldn't. No one is responsible for the actions of neighbours who are complete strangers. The OP doesn't know if the tenant is on benefits.

If someone reported them for benefit fraud and DWP thought there was a case to answer, part of the investigation would involve watching the comings and goings at the house. If someone was observed making it look as though the house was lived in - regularly cutting grass, turning lights on and off, drawing curtains and then leaving - of course they would be implicated. DWP aren’t stupid and at the very least they would question the person’s actions.

Not necessarily. I was reported for benefit fraud I wasn't committing a few years ago and my house wasn't watched. They don't have the staff numbers to monitor the comings and goings of everyone reported.

They do now. Huge injection of cash specifically targeted at stopping fraud with the emphasis on UC.

The house next door to me has been empty going on 3 years because the widowed occupier has dementia and cannot cope alone. She lives with her relatives and they come up every 2/3 weeks for a few hours to check on the place and collect mail. They rarely stay over night. If I was a busybody like some of the people on this thread UI could report it as an under occupied house and they would get charged double council tax. They would then probably sell it. Its a 4 bedroom house so it could be turned into an HMO or a big noisy family could move in. I don't want either of these things to happen therefore i say nothing.

If things are not broken do not fix them.

Whether you should report it or not, nothing is going to happen. They'll just say they are living there. People in SH are allowed to spend nights away from the property, to go on holiday or stay with friends/relatives. Worst case scenario, they'll just move back in for as much time as they have to and potentially make your life hell! They'll likely figure out someone in the street reported them, they don't plan to be there long term so they have no need to be good neighbours in the interim.

They wouldn't have been given the place if they weren't eligible for it. Having someone they can stay with temporarily is very different to having someone they can move in with. So what do you think will happen? They won't be evicted because their circumstances haven't changed. If (and it's a big if) it even went to Court, they could just say they stayed elsewhere temporarily for a myriad of reasons, and they'd be given another chance. It's extremely difficult to get someone evicted from SH.

I also don't see how you can be so sure of when they have and haven't been there. Unless you're permanently watching the place you don't know when they may have popped in or spent a night there.