Agenda Reports Pack (Public) 15/10/2012, 19.00 - Meetings ...

Building a Housing Ladder of Opportunity – Housing Allocation Schemegranted. The large majority of council tenancies will start with an introductorytenancy. Similarly, the Council expects Private Registered Providers (usuallyhousing associations) to continue granting assured tenancies, but to increasinglygrant fixed term assured shorthold tenancies in line with the Council’s TenancyStrategy and changes in individual PRPs’ policy and practices.Investigation of Fraud: Offences related to information given or withheld byapplicants3.19 The Council recognises its duty to protect the public resources it administers.Detailed enquiries about applications will therefore be made in order to guardagainst misrepresentation and fraud. Such enquiries will be made in all caseswhere applicants appear to have sufficient priority for an offer for re-housing, andin other cases as resources allow and may be made at any time either at the timeof application or subsequently including after any grant of tenancy. Applicationswill be suspended if there is evidence of misrepresentation or fraud untilenquiries are completed.3.20 Any applicant seeking to obtain accommodation by making a false or misleadingstatement or by withholding relevant information or by failing to inform theCouncil of any material change in circumstances is liable to have his/herapplication cancelled. Prosecution will be considered where it appears to theCouncil that a criminal offence has been committed. Proceedings for possessionwill be taken to recover any tenancy granted in consequence of a fraudulentapplication for housing.3.21 For the reasons set above, the Council is keen to ensure that informationsubmitted to support a housing registration application is truthful and accurate.3.22 Section 171 makes it an offence for anyone seeking assistance from a housingauthority under Part 6 of the 1996 Act to:• Knowingly or recklessly give false information, or• Knowingly withhold information which the housing authority hasreasonably required the applicant to give3.23 It is for individual housing authorities to determine when these provisions applyand when to institute criminal proceedings. However, the circumstances in whichan offence is committed could include:• Any false information given on an application form for social housing• Any false information given in response to subsequent review letters• Any false information given or submitted by applicants during theproceedings of a review18Page 401