Housing Association Fraud

[Scrumbled5]

I know of someone whose parents were allocated a social housing property about 30 years ago.

They are Polish immigrants and she was pregnant at the time. They have since kept the 3 bed property in central London (Victoria) while building up a property portfolio in Poland and subletting the third bedroom in London to various tenants over the years.

their son now lives there with his girlfriend saving up a deposit while his parents have moved back to Poland. He has £120k+ saved up.

this isn’t right!

does anyone know if housing association fraud differs from benefit fraud in that way? I want to report them but because it’s HA will the council listen?

Look someone itching to play the race card. In typical modern style to shut down the conversation.

Just report it with as much detail as possible.

No need to justify yourself - report and move on - include every single detail, all names / addressess / dates - everything you have, everything you know

thank you for doing this

not allowed

If you were so outraged you would have reported it when you were married to him. Be honest you are reporting him because you want to cause problems for your ex. That's your business but don't pretend otherwise.

Oh, come off it. Would you seriously get your own husband's parents evicted from their home?

My turn to highjack now

I swapped council flats not long ago

The woman I swapped with has 2 children primary school age and a partner who is the father - not married

He lives with her full time - I know because we chatted a lot during the exchange process and he was very much involved - he came to my old flat (their new flat) to take measurements to plan new furniture shopping and lay out, etc

He works full time

She does not work officially but I know she has a cash in hand gig

Of course we had to sign papers together and she has sole name in her tenancy

Am I bitter? I think I am

I have visited her after we swapped - she re-decorated the whole place - all floor, walls and new furniture in all rooms

I’ve had some work done on my new flat too but it was due to desperate need and I got free help from my ex FIL. There is work to get done in the kitchen, bathroom and my bedroom - but I’m still happy with the swap and would do again

It feels bad reporting though - it is not housing fraud as such but she is getting more benefits than she is entitled to and is playing the system

And at the risk of outing myself I used to work in the school one of the children goes too and worked with said child for about 3 years prior and during the exchange - so I know the father is full time involved / living together - and I know people who are clients of her cash in hand gig

Actually, it’s more about the fact that his parents have left the country and so a couple earning upwards of £150k combined live in a £2m three bed housing association property in Victoria which is intended for families in need.

But, y’know, you carry on.

If he doesn't own property elsewhere and was put on the rent account it is just possible he's allowed to be there. Also are you sure they haven't used the right to buy on the property? If they're definitely not supposed to live there I would report (and have) someone because a family in desperate need will be given that home.

I'd report it. If it's not fraud, it's not fraud. If it is, they need to be evicted and the house given to any of the numerous families currently in temporary accommodation.

''@Scrumbled5
Ugh I knew someone would ask why I mentioned Poland but I thought it would be obvious when I mentioned the property empire in a different country. I didn’t repeat it needlessly — as you can see, it’s relevant to the story. I can’t exactly say they moved back to [redacted], can I? To save the delicate left-wing sensibilities of some readers? Not that you need to know, but I do indeed know the financial situation because I used to be married to the son.''

''Not that you need to know'': Well you chose to make a public thread about your story so people will ask you questions. I asked this because only someone who is a family member/close friend or partner would know something like that for sure and I suspected that there a motive for doing this (like revenge/jealousy) rather than a genuine concern about fraud.

There was also really no need to go on about him and his family being Polish. You could have simply said they moved from abroad.

''delicate left-wing sensibilities'': you are coming across as very defensive and angry I must say.

I would personally just move on and stop obsessing about what an ex is doing or not and trying to hurt him and his family/new partner just for the sake of revenge.

@Itsbiasedhere
''Look someone itching to play the race card. In typical modern style to shut down the conversation.''

Making a comment that you might disagree with is not ''shutting down a conversation'.

I also think you need to brush up on the difference between things like race and ethnicity....

@Scrumbled5 -"To save the delicate left-wing sensibilities of some readers?" - You ID'd yourself as a knob right there. Stop snooping. Get a life.

I’m pretty angry, yes, because I spent years arguing with him about how unfair it is that some people don’t have the opportunities he’s had, because selfish people take the opportunities away from families who need it. And now to find out that his parents don’t even live there anymore and a wealthy young couple is profiting from it — who both work in tech so earn a decent amount of money and in no way need it — yes, it grinds my gears.

His parents made thousands from the housing association, have taken a property from a family in need, and have now moved out of the country — meaning that their son and partner, who earn upwards of £150k, now live there.

It’s just so tedious to have people immediately jump on the fact I mentioned that they’re Polish — without knowing a jot about the situation — and immediately make judgements.

I am not British myself so I find it quite patronising that you think the fact I mentioned Poland means I feel a certain way about it.

genuine question @Scrumbled5 why not call the local ha? see where an initial call leads? tell staff the issue and if they seem disinterested take it up higher admin wise until your satisfied it’s been looked into.

She's not wrong js she ? The first whiff of Poland and the comments stayed about her being xenophobic bloody stupid. I'd totally report OP it's disgraceful.

@Greenfairydust do you think of Poland as being somehow lesser-than? Because by assuming anyone who mentions a country by name must be saying it in a disparaging way obviously holds certain opinions about it themselves.

The detail is relevant to the situation.

Report to the council as well as the HA. The council is more efficient than the HA, where it can be difficult getting through to the right person.

I work for a HA and we have a while fraud team just for this kind of situation so do please absolutely report this. If the HA is able to prove the fraud they will take action.

We can get access to utility bills, bank statements, linked accounts, we've even proven fraud by comparing which local shop the tenant shopped at in relation to their address with us! It's a LONG process, going into many many months but absolutely should be reported.

Report, ignore the haters, you are doing the right thing @Scrumbled5

Yes. If the HA property stays her main home

Wow you're really goading the OP aren't you? You sound unusually defensive. Up to no good yourself????

@Scrumbled5 Wow! £2m house???? Is that what basic houses are worth in London??? Bloody hell. I live in North Yorkshire and have never been to London so that's blown my mind! My little new build 2 bed housing association house is worth about £160-180k absolute max! Goodness. I dread to think how much they pay in rent!

Anyway, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE report and follow the former Council Officer's advice and compile a proper report of you can. That way they know it's serious at least, they get all the evidence properly and there's a paper trail. That home would be life changing for a family out there. Who could be in that house before next Christmas :)

You've said yourself that you are bitter. I think you need to ask yourself why you're reporting it - truly. If she didn't do up the flat nicely and she was struggling like you say you are, would you report her? If not, why not? Wouldn’t it be the same situation of cash-in-hand and partner/dc father who lives with them?

In other words, are you reporting genuinely because you believe they're committing some type of fraud or are you reporting maliciously because you think she has more than you do and it's not fair?

At the end of the day, fraud is fraud but it's up to you and you need to know the full story before reporting, so that you don't cause unnecessary stress for the family if you turn out to be wrong after investigation.

eh?