What's going on here?

[The2Ateam]

My neighbour left and let her property to the council. Unfortunately they seem to be using it as some sort of temp/halfway house moving people on every three months or so. It's horrid. Neighbour returns all the time to collect her post and deal with problems, like a blocked toilet (tenant told me). While looking at sold prices on right move the other day, I noticed that the property had been 'sold' last year. This is odd, as she still clearly owns it. Another neighbour told me she is living in a council flat in another borough. Is this some sort of fraud, and how can I find out? Any suggestions appreciated. I'm really at the end of my tether.

Is it possible to look at Land Registry on line and see who owns it ?

You can inform both councils of your suspicions and they likely to investigate. You don't have to know for sure. This is often how benefit cheats are caught -- suspicious neighbours report them.

I fell out with her recently over a mountain of rubbish which has been left rotting in her front garden. Is it possible she would know if I looked st the Land Registry titles? You have to pay, so not sure.

No one knows if you have looked at land registry and I'm sure it's only £3 each for the deeds and the plot of a property .

That's good to know. We own our home, and unfortunetly can't afford to move. Do you think I could also ask the council what type of housing they are Ido g the property for and would they tell me?

What's horrid about the lettings next door?

Has she sold it and still use the address for mail? Sold to the council by the sounds. Doesn't fit in with her doing repairs though

Unless she's sold to the council and is being paid to be the person who oversees the tenants?? Odd though

What's horrible is that it is being used as temporary accomadation. So far this year there has been five sets of women and varying numbers of kids moved in and then moved on. They don't care about the house/road/neighbours because they know they will be leaving. As a result they don't make great neighbours and this greatly reduces my quality of life while I am home.

She told me herself she let property to council, and there is a letting agency but her last tenant told me that after she complained of a blocked toilet, owner turned up with coat hanger to 'fix it' resulting in a screaming match which woke up my kids. I defo think she's doing something dodge.

How do you know she is letting it to the council? Is there a way she could never have owned it and be subletting it privately? Or the council sold the flat with her as a sitting tenant and she's subletting?

Find out who the owner is - the former neighbour could legitimately be letting the property to the council. The only fraud would be if she is a property owner renting a council property elsewhere, surely?

It's crossed my mind she may have sold to a company - one she owns or controls.

She told me herself that she let it to the council.

So it's been let to the council and she is managing it? What's wrong with that? She could still have transferred its ownership to a company - her company, for example, for whatever reason which is why it is showing as sold online.

Does the council website have a page on letting to them if you are a landlord? It might give details of how the relationship would work.

wowfudge I didn't say there was anything wrong with her letting to council and managing herself. As I said previously, I suspect her also has a council property somewhere. Also, as I said previously the main issue is the way her property is being let i.e. Temp accomadation and is affecting me and my neighbours.

So talk to the council then. What the other neighbour has said is hearsay, but if this person owns a house then it doesn't sound right that she is a council tenant elsewhere if that is actually what is happening.

Not hearsay, previous tentant told me it was temp accomadation and I am sure landlord lives in a council flat elsewhere. I don't know where and I don't know which local authority property let to either.

Unless your old neighbour has told you herself then it is hearsay, however sure you may be. The obvious thing is to start with the local council and to download the title register to see who the registered owner is.

Well she's not going to tell me is she. Who would tell their neighbour they're letting the property to to be used like that? I wouldn't!!
It's defo temporary accomadation, none of the tenants wanted to leave but were moved on in months.

To clear up the misunderstanding on this thread, the bit that is hearsay is that the former neighbour is living as a council tenant in another borough - you only have a third party's word on that.

Complain to the council and the neighbourhood policing team about antisocial behaviour from the tenants and keep a diary of incidents.

And do check who the owner of the place is via the Land Registry.

You can complain to the council's environmental health department about noise, dumping of rubbish, etc whether or not the tenants are council tenants. The council may also have an antisocial behaviour department.