0:00:03 > 0:00:05I'm Michelle Ackerley.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08My parents both grew up on council estates and, as a family,
0:00:08 > 0:00:12we understand the difference social housing can make to people's lives.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18But across the UK, there's a chronic shortage of council
0:00:18 > 0:00:20and housing association homes.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24I know so many friends and so many people that just literally
0:00:24 > 0:00:26don't have anywhere to live.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30Adding to the crisis, some tenants are abusing the system,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33holding on to properties they no longer need or, even worse,
0:00:33 > 0:00:38unlawfully subletting them and coining in a small fortune.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Subletting social housing is wrong.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43It's wrong, it's illegal and it's wrong.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45So every day, we will be with the housing
0:00:45 > 0:00:48investigators as they crack down on those rogue tenants...
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Bailiffs.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55- ..reclaim properties... - Anybody in?
0:00:55 > 0:00:58..and give them to families in genuine need.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00All of those keys are yours.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Oh, don't, cos you'll start me off again.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07This is Council House Crackdown.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Our reporter, property expert Luke Doonan, also grew up
0:01:11 > 0:01:15on a council estate and, for the last six months, he's been working
0:01:15 > 0:01:19alongside dedicated housing investigators who will stop at
0:01:19 > 0:01:22nothing to track down every single tenant who's abusing the system.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Today, we are on a mission to evict people from a property
0:01:28 > 0:01:30they have no right to be living in
0:01:30 > 0:01:34while the real tenant is serving a six-year jail sentence.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Hello. Bailiff.
0:01:36 > 0:01:42We will show how CCTV can stop illegal subletting in its tracks...
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Spend hours trolling through the footage till you finally get
0:01:45 > 0:01:47that thing where you go, "I've got you."
0:01:47 > 0:01:51..and unravel the story of one man who used several completely
0:01:51 > 0:01:54different identities to cheat the housing system.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Ultimately, we discovered that David James, David Hargreaves
0:01:57 > 0:01:59and David Simmons were all one in the same person.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06The UK is in the grip of a housing crisis.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09The result is a massive demand for social housing,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13but despite the fact that so many families are stuck on waiting lists,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17some tenants are blatantly misusing their properties
0:02:17 > 0:02:19and abusing the whole system.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23- Hello, good morning. - From the council.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26At the forefront of the fight against fraud are Britain's
0:02:26 > 0:02:28housing investigators.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Local councils and housing associations are working
0:02:31 > 0:02:35tirelessly to catch tenancy cheats and ensure our social housing
0:02:35 > 0:02:38stock is in the hands of those who need it most.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43- This is your new home?- Yeah, yeah, hopefully moving in here quite soon.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- Fantastic. Are you excited? - Yeah, definitely.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Nowhere is the pressure on social housing greater
0:02:51 > 0:02:53than in our capital city.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Even incomes of £60,000 a year are not enough to get
0:02:57 > 0:03:00you on the property ladder in some areas of London.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04With property at such a premium here, more and more people
0:03:04 > 0:03:08are turning to social housing to put a roof over their heads, but with
0:03:08 > 0:03:13such high demand, it's crucial that existing stock is used properly.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19This is antisocial behaviour coordinator Tim Jones.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22He works for one of the biggest housing associations in the UK -
0:03:22 > 0:03:24One Housing.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27They are responsible for 15,000 properties
0:03:27 > 0:03:30across 27 London boroughs.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Today, Luke joins Tim in one of their most expensive
0:03:34 > 0:03:36postcodes - in the heart of the West End -
0:03:36 > 0:03:39on a mission to evict people from a property
0:03:39 > 0:03:41they have no right to be living in...
0:03:41 > 0:03:42HE KNOCKS
0:03:42 > 0:03:45..and where investigators discover to their horror the actual
0:03:45 > 0:03:49tenant had been sent to prison for over six years.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54To uncover the story, we need to go back a few months
0:03:54 > 0:03:57where investigations were started because of some noise complaints.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00It was a case we already had running in relation to
0:04:00 > 0:04:03allegations of antisocial behaviour.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The antisocial behaviour was reported by neighbours.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08The police were involved
0:04:08 > 0:04:11and this brought to light some news regarding the tenant,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13which housing officers knew nothing about.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18We received information from the police that he
0:04:18 > 0:04:22was, in fact, in prison for attempted rape, actual bodily harm
0:04:22 > 0:04:23and grievous bodily harm.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Oh, my God. That is beyond shocking.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29In a normal instance, if you find out that one of your tenants
0:04:29 > 0:04:32is in prison, what would you normally do?
0:04:32 > 0:04:34How would that normally work out?
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Well, it depends.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39In this case, we were informed that he was going to be in prison
0:04:39 > 0:04:42- for over six years.- Wow.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46So, it wasn't likely that he would be intending to return
0:04:46 > 0:04:48to the property any time soon.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50The fact is that if they are in prison,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52- they are not receiving housing benefit.- Right.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54In this case, was your tenant on housing benefit?
0:04:54 > 0:04:56- He was, yes.- OK.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00So, being in prison, housing benefit entitlement ceased.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02The arrears were getting quite high,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06so we had to press ahead with possession for that reason as well.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08OK.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12With Tim's tenant just nine months into his six-year prison
0:05:12 > 0:05:16sentence, an order to take back his property has been granted.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20But the big question is - if he is sat in prison,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23who exactly is making all the noise disturbance
0:05:23 > 0:05:27and upsetting the neighbours at his flat in central London?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31You are going into a very blind situation.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Anyone could be in that property up there
0:05:33 > 0:05:35and, surely, there's dangers there.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Oh, absolutely. I mean, I am quite apprehensive.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41I mean, today is the final day of what has been quite a lengthy
0:05:41 > 0:05:44investigation. I don't know what we're going to find.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48But I suppose, we will just have to open the door and see what happens.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53With witnesses claiming to have seen three people in the property
0:05:53 > 0:05:56just two days ago, tensions are running high.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Tim has arranged for a police presence around the corner
0:06:00 > 0:06:02in case there's any trouble.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05KNOCKING
0:06:05 > 0:06:09HE SPEAKS INCOHERENTLY
0:06:09 > 0:06:11The bailiffs have knocked on the door,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13there doesn't seem to be anyone in,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17so the locksmith is now going to gain entry to the property,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20so we can see the state of the condition
0:06:20 > 0:06:21and if there's someone in there.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30The bailiff will go in first to check who, if anyone, is there.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Hello. Bailiff.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38Later, we find out what's behind the door of this central London flat.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42The smell here is absolutely rancid and disgusting. That is grim.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51The crackdown on tenancy cheats is nationwide.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55In Cornwall, a 42-year-old woman from Bodmin was
0:06:55 > 0:06:58the first in the county to be prosecuted for moving
0:06:58 > 0:07:01out of her council house and illegally subletting it.
0:07:03 > 0:07:04She received a 12-month
0:07:04 > 0:07:06conditional discharge
0:07:06 > 0:07:07and ordered to pay legal
0:07:07 > 0:07:09costs of over £1,000.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17A 37-year-old man from Leeds in Yorkshire sublet his council house,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21advertising it online and even issuing a fake tenancy agreement.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25He made nearly £2,000 in rent
0:07:25 > 0:07:28but was ordered to pay back every penny,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30plus over £1,000 in compensation.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34Social housing is very important.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37I think it's a massive problem facing the country
0:07:37 > 0:07:40and facing London, particularly, that people on lower incomes
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and even not so low incomes can't afford anywhere to live.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48Trying to get on the social housing ladder is really almost impossible.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Cos the supply of housing stock is so short
0:07:51 > 0:07:53and there are so many people that need it.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Cos private rents are so expensive. So, it's terrible.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Everyone should be entitled to a place to live,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03a roof over their heads that comes at an affordable cost as well.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09In the battle to crack down on tenancy cheats,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12housing fraud investigators are using everything from CCTV
0:08:12 > 0:08:16cameras to good old-fashioned detective work to make sure
0:08:16 > 0:08:18they stay one step ahead.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20For this next case, Luke's in Oxford
0:08:20 > 0:08:23where, thanks to closed circuit TV cameras,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27council investigators were able to catch this tenancy cheat red-handed.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35It all began when a council repairman was called out
0:08:35 > 0:08:38to the property. He wishes to remain anonymous.
0:08:39 > 0:08:44I came to the flat for an emergency call-out of no hot water.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45It was a one-bedroom property,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48but the lounge had been turned into a bedroom as well
0:08:48 > 0:08:52and it looked to me like there were two Polish couples in the property.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56I then thought, immediately, that the property was being sublet.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01The repairman reported his findings straightaway.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04His report landed on the desk of Oxford council senior
0:09:04 > 0:09:08investigator Catherine Jones who, together with her team, has
0:09:08 > 0:09:12won back about 80 misused properties over the last six years.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14This is a case of subletting
0:09:14 > 0:09:17and we got a report from one of our repairs people that
0:09:17 > 0:09:20when they had gone out to mend some heating that they were
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- met by four Polish people in a one-bed property.- Oh.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Obviously, in this particular case, it was quite clear to the man
0:09:27 > 0:09:31that went out that our tenant was not resident in the property.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Catherine's tenant, a Mr Keith Smith,
0:09:36 > 0:09:37was not at his flat,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39but two Polish couples were.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42It was time for the team to start looking in more detail
0:09:42 > 0:09:44into Mr Smith's background.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47They began by looking at his financial footprint.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51One of the things that we tried to do is a credit check on the property
0:09:51 > 0:09:55to see if there is anybody linked to the address with finances.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00The Prevention Of Social Housing Fraud Act of 2013 has given
0:10:00 > 0:10:03investigators like Catherine the power to access
0:10:03 > 0:10:07a person's financial records,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09including bank accounts, loan applications
0:10:09 > 0:10:11and credit history.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14When you did that, did you uncover anything?
0:10:14 > 0:10:17There was some Polish-type names linked to the address,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20so we believe the people that the operative had seen
0:10:20 > 0:10:22was possibly these people.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25OK, and what did you do with that information?
0:10:25 > 0:10:28- With that information, we used social media.- Ah.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31And we found them on social media
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and they were actually friends of our tenant.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37As Catherine continued to sift through the paperwork,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40she came across a vital clue.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Keith Smith's bank statement clearly showed
0:10:42 > 0:10:48a payment of £450 from one of the Polish occupants,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51suggesting they had been subletting the flat from him.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54With this information, what would that allow you to do?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56We went to the bank and got further bank statements.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58And what did they tell you?
0:10:58 > 0:11:00They showed that over a period of time
0:11:00 > 0:11:04that he had received a total of about £18,000 worth...
0:11:04 > 0:11:06- Really?- ..of payments going into his account...- Wow.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09..from people with Polish-sounding names.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11- £18,000?- 18.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Whilst on full housing benefit.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17But it was a technology that most of us take for granted
0:11:17 > 0:11:19that blew this case wide open.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22As the flat was in a tower block,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Catherine knew there would be extensive CCTV coverage,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29which might hold the key to solving her investigation.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34To find out how, Luke meets Catherine's colleague, Dan Barker.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36All of our blocks of flats,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40any entry point to the building has a fob access.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42All of our tenants will be issued with one of these
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and every time they enter a building,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47they have to swipe it to gain access through the controlled entry doors.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49That information is recorded in our system,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51gives us details of the date and time they've entered
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- and which door they've entered the building through.- Wow.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58It allows us to see when a certain individual is leaving or entering
0:11:58 > 0:12:02the building and then we can link that in with our CCTV footage.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06By checking the fob usage on the flat,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Dan could clearly see four fobs in daily use,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13but there was one fob that was rarely being used.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17It was time to put his CCTV footage under the microscope.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20The first thing we did was look at the fob which had the low usage,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22only being used once or twice a month.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24We verified that that was our tenant,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27effectively, popping back to pick up his post.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31It gets even more clever because you can know the fob that was given
0:12:31 > 0:12:33to your original tenant and we can see that's not being used.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Wow.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37And then we were able to check the other four fobs
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and see the individuals that were using them every single day,
0:12:40 > 0:12:41that allowed us to ID them.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44I guess this gave you the case.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47It did, very much. This was what made the case.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50The footage enabled the team to take civil court action
0:12:50 > 0:12:53and serve a notice to quit on the property.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Keith Smith, pictured here on the CCTV,
0:12:56 > 0:12:57ignored the notice,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01but days before it expired, he made one final attempt to avoid
0:13:01 > 0:13:04being found guilty of any wrongdoing.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Once the notice of quit had been served,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10on the day of its expiry, the tenants themselves moved out.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- We had a tip-off from the caretaker. - Right.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15So, we were then able to come back to the footage
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and review over a period of four days around the move out
0:13:18 > 0:13:21that showed evidence of them moving all of their possessions out
0:13:21 > 0:13:25and the following day, our tenant moved all of his stuff back in.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26Incredible.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30This extraordinary footage shows Mr Smith moving his belongings
0:13:30 > 0:13:35back into the property, so he could claim he was still living there.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38It must be so satisfying for you to sit here,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41miles away from the property, looking at the dates.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Bang, bang, bang. Bang to rights, you've got them.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46It is. You really get that sort of gotcha moment.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49You sit here, spend hours trolling through the footage to
0:13:49 > 0:13:52finally get that thing where you go, "I've got you."
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Later, we will see what happens in court to Keith Smith
0:13:56 > 0:13:59and how his one-bedroom flat helps to free up a much-needed,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01larger council house elsewhere.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Tenancy fraud often only comes to light when a neighbour
0:14:10 > 0:14:13or an unwitting subtenant realises what's going on
0:14:13 > 0:14:15and alerts the authorities.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18In Norwood, South London, a 51-year-old man sublet his social
0:14:18 > 0:14:22housing property, giving the subtenant the impression
0:14:22 > 0:14:24he owned the flat, but just a week after moving in,
0:14:24 > 0:14:29the subtenant became suspicious and contacted Lambeth Council.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32The tenant was fined £1,100.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Foreign travel and a lavish lifestyle were all very
0:14:40 > 0:14:43nice for the author of this autobiography,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47but behind that facade, there is a completely different story to tell.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Its author is caught up in one of the worst tenancy fraud
0:14:53 > 0:14:57cases we've ever come across, involving multiple illegal
0:14:57 > 0:15:00sublets and at least three different identities.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Luke meets Lambeth Council's senior investigator,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Alan Emerson, in Clapham, South London to unravel
0:15:08 > 0:15:11the case of a Mr David Simmons.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15So, this is Bedford Road in Clapham,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17we're just off of Clapham High Street here.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21OK, this is a really, really central location, isn't it?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Yeah, it's just off... We've got Clapham North Station
0:15:23 > 0:15:26just down the road from us here and all the amenities of Clapham there.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- So, it's quite a desirable place to live, actually.- OK.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Tell me about the property and the story behind it.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35- OK, so this is- BLEEP.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36It's a council property.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- It was formerly for tenancy for David Simmons.- OK.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42David had lived in the borough for a few years at a private
0:15:42 > 0:15:43address in Streatham.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47He applied for a council property in June 2000
0:15:47 > 0:15:49because he was suffering from HIV,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51which made him a priority on the housing case,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54which is why he got the property in such a short space of time.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Normally, our waiting list would take...
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Certainly if you don't have a family,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01if you are a single male, it would take you years to be able
0:16:01 > 0:16:03to get a council tenancy.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07It seemed all was well, a legitimate case of social housing
0:16:07 > 0:16:11being provided for someone with a medical need.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12But a few years later,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16the property came to the attention of the local MP.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Her office received a complaint from a man.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20He said that his son was living at the address
0:16:20 > 0:16:23and had become concerned that this might be a council property.
0:16:23 > 0:16:24Oh, OK.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27With David Simmons suspected of illegally subletting
0:16:27 > 0:16:32his Clapham flat, Alan and his team went round to investigate.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34What did you find when you came here?
0:16:34 > 0:16:36There were three young guys living here.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38They had been here for a little over six months.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40And they were paying £1,700 a month in rent.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- That's a lot.- It's a highly sought after location.- OK.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Did the tenants, the subtenants give you any other clues
0:16:45 > 0:16:47or could they give you any other information?
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Or was it just clear it was being illegally sublet?
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Yeah, they told us how long they had been here
0:16:52 > 0:16:53and they confirmed who their landlord was.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56It was David Simmons, the same person that was our tenant.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59They also told us they didn't think they were the first ones
0:16:59 > 0:17:02to be at the property cos previous tenants were receiving mail
0:17:02 > 0:17:03- at the address as well.- OK.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09So, if not here, where exactly was this man David Simmons living?
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Alan is taking Luke to another address,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15which David was renting from a private landlord,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18just a few miles south in Streatham.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20I'm looking round at this road, there's a house opposite,
0:17:20 > 0:17:24there's two Porsches, it's a stunning, leafy green road.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26But we think this is where he was living
0:17:26 > 0:17:28while subletting that property in Clapham
0:17:28 > 0:17:33and taking the rent monies from those as his income.
0:17:35 > 0:17:36Further background checks revealed
0:17:36 > 0:17:38that whilst living here in Streatham,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42David Simmons had originally been known as David Hargreaves
0:17:42 > 0:17:44but had legally changed his name.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Records also showed that David Simmons was renting
0:17:49 > 0:17:53his Streatham flat from private landlord Mr David James.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57So who was this so-called private landlord?
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Ultimately, we discovered that David James, David Hargreaves
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- and David Simmons were all one in the same person.- Really?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05So he's using three...
0:18:05 > 0:18:10Three identities and at the moment, now, two properties within Lambeth.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13One of which he already owns and stays at
0:18:13 > 0:18:14and one which he's subletting.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16You are telling me
0:18:16 > 0:18:20that David Simmons actually owned this property?
0:18:20 > 0:18:23That's right, he owned it from 1999, so he bought it
0:18:23 > 0:18:27- about a year before he came to the council for social housing.- Wow.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28As far as we are concerned,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32he didn't spend one night in the council property that he obtained.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38David Simmons had been found to be the owner/occupier of a very nice
0:18:38 > 0:18:41flat in Streatham, whilst pocketing a considerable
0:18:41 > 0:18:44sum illegally renting out his council flat in Clapham.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54Find out later why David Hargreaves/James/Simmons
0:18:54 > 0:18:56is a man with even more secrets.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59We were coming across other addresses in the borough
0:18:59 > 0:19:01of Kensington and Chelsea.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02So we spoke to the local authority
0:19:02 > 0:19:06and they confirmed that he was a housing association tenant there.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10- This is a copy of...- A third property. Oh, my God!
0:19:13 > 0:19:16The lengths some social housing tenants will go to
0:19:16 > 0:19:20to cheat the system is incredible.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24In Bristol, a 34-year-old woman claimed to have an income
0:19:24 > 0:19:28of less than £18,000 a year in order to get a council house.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33But in reality, she was living in Nottingham
0:19:33 > 0:19:37and earning over £30,000 a year whilst illegally subletting
0:19:37 > 0:19:40the council home she had been given in Bristol.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46She had also failed to mention that she owned two other properties.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49One of which was an ex-council house that she had purchased
0:19:49 > 0:19:51using the Right To Buy scheme.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56All of which landed her a seven-month jail sentence.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01I think where somebody actually sets out to cheat
0:20:01 > 0:20:05and gets something that is different than what they've applied for,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08when it's found out, that they basically lose any
0:20:08 > 0:20:11opportunity to go on the system again.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14That might seem harsh, but I think the penalties have to be
0:20:14 > 0:20:18strong enough to actually dissuade somebody from doing something
0:20:18 > 0:20:19like that in the first place.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23People who sublet the council houses, the book should be thrown
0:20:23 > 0:20:26at them, lock, stock and barrel, because they are causing a problem
0:20:26 > 0:20:28that shouldn't be there.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Imposing fines and things, I mean, I think
0:20:30 > 0:20:32that doesn't really help the problem.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34I think that just imposes more on people.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38The real victims are people who have genuine need for the property.
0:20:38 > 0:20:44People who are in genuine need to be housed in the council accommodation.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46They suffer most, then, because all these properties
0:20:46 > 0:20:48which should have gone to them
0:20:48 > 0:20:50is being used by people who do not need it
0:20:50 > 0:20:53or using it for their own personal benefit.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Since 1919, social housing has provided low-cost accommodation
0:21:00 > 0:21:02for those on limited incomes,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06but there are some unscrupulous people who are abusing
0:21:06 > 0:21:09the system and depriving those in genuine need.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Earlier, we discovered details of one such case.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Noise complaints reportedly coming from a highly sought after
0:21:19 > 0:21:21central London flat,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25which should have been empty because the tenant was actually behind bars.
0:21:28 > 0:21:29KNOCKING
0:21:29 > 0:21:33It's eviction day and Luke's with the team preparing to force
0:21:33 > 0:21:35entry and reclaim the property.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38With no idea who has got the keys to this place,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40the team are anxious to get in.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47- KNOCKING - Bailiff.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49London County Court.
0:21:52 > 0:21:53Hello.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57All right, you can start making your way in.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15So, Tim, there clearly doesn't seem to be anyone here.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18It's a huge relief for everyone involved that they've avoided
0:22:18 > 0:22:20confrontation inside the flat,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22but judging by the state of the place,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26it seems we've only just missed the occupants.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Have you ever actually been in this property before?
0:22:28 > 0:22:31- I haven't, no. It looks like it's in quite a state.- Yeah.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34A strong smell of cigarette smoke everywhere as well.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Are you quite relieved that there's no-one here?
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Yeah, I'm quite relieved. It helps things to go smoothly.- Sure.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45The smell here is absolutely rancid and disgusting
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and it's clear that this place is probably being used for someone
0:22:48 > 0:22:51just to doss down and not live because that is grim.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Despite the obvious issues we've found, what really matters is,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Tim and his team have got possession of their property back.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03If you got cleaners in, cleared the furniture out,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06I guess, you could have this ready to rent pretty quickly.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Yeah, as I say, we've had some much worse ones.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11You know, sometimes people are hoarders,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15but in the greater scheme of things, it could be a lot worse.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17The locks are being changed
0:23:17 > 0:23:20and the eviction team's work here is almost done.
0:23:20 > 0:23:21In terms of timescale,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24when do you think you could be standing on these steps,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26a happy man again, handing the keys to someone
0:23:26 > 0:23:28who really needs this property?
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- I wouldn't think that would take longer than a month.- Wow.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- That's a pretty short turnaround, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34Fantastic.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38I'm personally really, really happy that this flat has been taken off
0:23:38 > 0:23:40a criminal who was abusing it
0:23:40 > 0:23:43and it can now be given back to the community who needs it.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47This West End property has since been re-let.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49As for the original tenant,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51once he is out of jail, he will have to go back
0:23:51 > 0:23:54on the housing waiting list, like everybody else.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02With housing across Britain at such a premium,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05some people will go to extraordinary lengths
0:24:05 > 0:24:07to abuse the social housing system.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10In Fulham, Southwest London,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14a 64-year-old man sublet his four-bedroom council house
0:24:14 > 0:24:19whilst living in a converted shed in his back garden.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Features included an en-suite bathroom and built-in wardrobe.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27He rented out the four rooms in his real house for up
0:24:27 > 0:24:29to £800 a month each
0:24:29 > 0:24:32and raked in more than £95,000 in benefits.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37He ended up behind bars for ten months.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46Earlier in South London, fraud investigator Alan Emerson introduced
0:24:46 > 0:24:53Luke to the remarkable case of a Mr David Simmons/Hargreaves/James.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Owner of a very nice flat in Streatham,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58he'd also been pocketing a considerable sum
0:24:58 > 0:25:01illegally renting out a council flat in Clapham.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02As far as we're concerned,
0:25:02 > 0:25:07he didn't spend one night in the council property he obtained.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Luke is heading back to Alan's offices to unravel
0:25:09 > 0:25:12more about the man with three names.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15What else do you have here to show me?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18As we were building up a picture of his movements of his cash
0:25:18 > 0:25:20holdings, we were coming across other addresses
0:25:20 > 0:25:22- outside of the borough...- Right.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24..that he was being linked to financially.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26In the borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30So we spoke to the local authority and they confirmed that he
0:25:30 > 0:25:32was a housing association tenant there.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- This is a copy...- A third property. Oh, my God!
0:25:35 > 0:25:37- So, this is the address here. - Can I...? Can I...?
0:25:37 > 0:25:39This is his council tax bill from Kensington and Chelsea.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44So, he has two social housing properties and he has his own home.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47That's right. Running the exact same thing
0:25:47 > 0:25:49in Kensington and Chelsea and, again,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51he doesn't stay at this other property at all.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53He has his own property. So, we think
0:25:53 > 0:25:55that it's been sublet throughout.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59With yet another social housing property linked to their man,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01this time in Kensington and Chelsea,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Alan and his team were more than curious to find out
0:26:04 > 0:26:07if David-three-names would be at the property.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12They attended only to find a doctor and his family in residence.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18The doctor confirmed he had been renting from a Mr David James.
0:26:19 > 0:26:20He's been busy, hasn't he?
0:26:20 > 0:26:21He certainly has.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24It seemed David-three-names was subletting not one,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27but two different social properties
0:26:27 > 0:26:29whilst already owning his own flat in Streatham.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Investigators decided to confront him at home.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35What we found when we went to Rydal Road though,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38was that he wasn't living at the property any longer.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40He'd moved to Egypt.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- Pfff! Really?!- And was letting out his own property to a tenant.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47We found a note here where he's advising the tenant not to
0:26:47 > 0:26:48tell anybody that he's in Egypt.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Here it says, "If anyone asks, I'm in Manchester not Egypt,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54"for insurance purposes."
0:26:54 > 0:26:56- That's right.- Calculated.
0:26:56 > 0:27:02Boiler breakdown. Friend for mail. Mobile in Egypt.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Neighbourhood watch team. Always useful.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- And Bob the builder. - Bob the builder.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11I mean, again, this is like something out of a joke book.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14But it was no laughing matter
0:27:14 > 0:27:17as the tenant also revealed that he was renting
0:27:17 > 0:27:20the place from a Mr David Richardson.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22And as officers searched the flat,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25they found another change of name deed.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29David three-names had just become David four-names.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32We found change of name deeds which linked him
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- conclusively into being the David James that owns the property.- Right.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41- And we also found a copy of a book that he's written.- You're joking?
0:27:41 > 0:27:44About his life story.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45You're making this up, aren't you?
0:27:45 > 0:27:47It's signed by him on the first page there.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49It's not quite a signed confession
0:27:49 > 0:27:52but the book's called 45 Years 45 Lives.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56We've only uncovered four of them. So there might be a few more to go.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59We can look at certain passages in there and start to link
0:27:59 > 0:28:03- these in with the period that he was subletting these properties.- Right.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06And when he talks about moving to places like Marrakech
0:28:06 > 0:28:10and Egypt, we think at the time he was probably living on benefits.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14And it was the funds he was receiving from subletting
0:28:14 > 0:28:17these properties that he was using to pay for an apartment
0:28:17 > 0:28:19overlooking the River Nile.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Or for the place he lived in when he spent six months
0:28:21 > 0:28:23living in Marrakech.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26So he's jetting around the world. He has quite a lifestyle.
0:28:26 > 0:28:27Lucky him.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31And all the while, no legitimate income to pay for that lifestyle.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33It all comes from his offending.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36David was brought in for formal questioning,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38where he continued to maintain his facade.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43But the team had enough evidence to take legal action against him.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47It was at this point he made his last, calculated move.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50Whilst awaiting trial, he sold his property at Rydal Road.
0:28:50 > 0:28:55His flat in Streatham went for £450,000.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Oh, my God, that's absolutely stunning.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00In the current market today,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03this is a property that most people would dream of living in.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05Yeah, I mean, this was his home.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08This is where he was based throughout the time that
0:29:08 > 0:29:10he was subletting those properties.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Shocking. Now, I'm scared to ask, in every way.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Ten or 11 years illegal subletting two properties.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21What do you think his gain would have been through those years?
0:29:21 > 0:29:25We think that he benefited to the tune of more than £300,000.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28£300,000.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31That could build four of five family homes for social housing.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34And one individual, over quite a long period,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37has kind of got away with blue murder, hasn't he, so far?
0:29:37 > 0:29:39Yeah, it's a lot of money. It's a lot money.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43But with a treasure chest of evidence, the case went to court.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48And David four-names has been ordered to repay over £30,000.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51If he fails to do so, he could go behind bars.
0:29:51 > 0:29:56Congratulations indeed. And I hope your brilliant work continues.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57Thank you, Luke.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03I think there's a massive demand for social housing.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05There's a lot of people under the poverty line.
0:30:05 > 0:30:06Struggling to live.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10Family sizes are, you know, large, substantially large.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12So yeah, it's definitely needed.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15There's a lot of vulnerable people out there that would need
0:30:15 > 0:30:19the housing more than other people who are just sub-letters.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21If they're subletting, making money,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24they're denying an opportunity for someone who really could be in need.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26People who suffer are always at the bottom.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35Earlier in Oxford, Luke witnessed how technology put housing
0:30:35 > 0:30:37investigators on the trail of a Mr Keith Smith.
0:30:37 > 0:30:42Suspected of illegally subletting his one-bedroom tower block flat.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45- We verified that that was our tenant.- Right.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Effectively popping back to pick up his post.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50Keith Smith was barely ever there.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52It was clear two Polish couples
0:30:52 > 0:30:56were the real inhabitants of this council flat.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00And senior investigator Catherine Jones had evidence to suggest
0:31:00 > 0:31:02they were paying to be there.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05- He had received a total of about £18,000...- Really?!
0:31:05 > 0:31:08- ..of payments going into his account.- Wow.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11From people with Polish-sounding names.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13- £18,000?- 18,000.- Pff!
0:31:13 > 0:31:16With their evidence piled high, the team were ready to take
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Mr Smith to civil court to get the property back.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23But Catherine discovered he'd also had considerable rent arrears.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27And it would be quicker to evict him for non-payment than subletting.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Keith Smith was duly kicked out.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Luke joins council investigator Catherine,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38who's on her way to Mr Smith's former flat
0:31:38 > 0:31:40where this story has a happy ending.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42It's actually quite a smart tower block, isn't it?
0:31:42 > 0:31:44It's not too bad, actually.
0:31:49 > 0:31:50- Hi, Phil.- Hey.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53- I'm Catherine from the council. This is Luke.- Hello, nice to meet you.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56- Can we come in and talk to you for five minutes?- Yeah.
0:31:56 > 0:31:57OK, thanks very much.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04- This is the actual living room. It's nice and big.- Wow.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07This is really nice, Phil. Really large.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10And really light as well. Incredible.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Less than a month after Mr Smith's eviction,
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Phil was able to move into the flat.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19So, Phil, tell me, you've been here just two weeks.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21- Yeah.- Where were you living before?
0:32:21 > 0:32:22A three-bedroom house.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25It was a case of having cheaper bills.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27It was just too much electric.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30Living alone in a three-bedroom council property was not only
0:32:30 > 0:32:32putting Phil in debt,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35it was preventing a family from benefiting from a larger home.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39How do you feel about your ex house being given to a family who
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- really needs it?- It's better that I'm in here and they get that.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44What else can you say?
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Catherine, it must be really satisfying for you
0:32:46 > 0:32:47to see this happen.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50It's the main thing that keeps us going and doing our job really.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53To see people get housed in properties where they actually
0:32:53 > 0:32:56need them, that benefit them, as in this gentleman's case.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58Yeah, indeed. I'm really happy to see this.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01- It's like, for me, really, this is winners all round.- Yeah.
0:33:01 > 0:33:02Yeah, I agree.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04As for the former tenant, Keith Smith,
0:33:04 > 0:33:07after handing back the property, he was taken to court.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10He pleaded guilty at Oxford Magistrates Court
0:33:10 > 0:33:13to failing to disclose his subletting,
0:33:13 > 0:33:17and failing to declare the income he made from his sub-tenants.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19He was sentenced to a 12-month community order
0:33:19 > 0:33:22and ordered to pay costs of £250.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30Later, we see how this tenancy cheat managed to avoid a jail
0:33:30 > 0:33:33sentence but was forced to hand back the keys to her
0:33:33 > 0:33:37social housing flat in Wandsworth after she was caught out partying
0:33:37 > 0:33:38halfway around the world.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43This is some of the red carpet events she was attending in Nigeria.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46Just from those photos, it looks like she's leading an almost
0:33:46 > 0:33:48- celebrity lifestyle, doesn't she? - Yeah.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57Social housing in Britain is at a premium,
0:33:57 > 0:34:01and it's often larger family properties that are most needed.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Yet they're in desperately short supply.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07But for older people, leaving these family homes
0:34:07 > 0:34:10after many years can be a wrench.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Today, Luke is in North London
0:34:12 > 0:34:14meeting Kevin Beirne from One Housing
0:34:14 > 0:34:18to visit a brand-new scheme which is aiming to tackle the issue.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22- Hi, Kevin. How are you?- Hi, Luke. Really nice to see you.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24You too. You're OK?
0:34:24 > 0:34:28This new-build social housing project in Tottenham, North London,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32is aimed at a very specific market. Those over 65.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35The whole idea is to make it a really aspirational place
0:34:35 > 0:34:38- for people who are retired... - OK, that sounds good.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40- ..moving on in years.- Yup.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42And by doing that, you free up family homes somewhere else.
0:34:43 > 0:34:48There's now 11.4 million people in the UK aged 65 or over.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52And with life expectancy extending year after year,
0:34:52 > 0:34:57it's imperative their housing needs are addressed properly.
0:34:57 > 0:34:58If you look at this area,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- it's a real traditional residential location.- Mm-hm.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04We have quite a significant ageing demographic right across the UK
0:35:04 > 0:35:08and it's one of the real features of the London housing market.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12- And that group of people, who, as I say, are here already...- Sure.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15..really want to be able to move on and spend their later years
0:35:15 > 0:35:18in a building which is really fit for their needs.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21- And helps them achieve, you know, a really great lifestyle.- Mm.
0:35:21 > 0:35:22And at the same time,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25they can leave behind some of the most precious resources in housing.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Otherwise know as the
0:35:27 > 0:35:29three and four-bedroom family house with a garden
0:35:29 > 0:35:32- which are really difficult to develop these days.- Yeah, sure.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36It's great news that those sought-after larger properties
0:35:36 > 0:35:38could become available for growing families.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Thanks to developments like this.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44But what's on offer here for a prospective elderly resident
0:35:44 > 0:35:47leaving the family home after so many years?
0:35:47 > 0:35:49I'll show you one of the one-bedroom flats.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51- We're here on the top floor...- OK. - ..of the development.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54- If you'd just like to come in here. - Sure.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57I mentioned storage is really important,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00particularly to our downsizing seniors.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02So here's a rather large storage facility as soon as you
0:36:02 > 0:36:03come into this flat.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06And you can see that you've got the dual aspect.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08And a really nice balcony.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10It's really big, isn't it? I mean, look at that.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13- That's massive.- Yeah, it's a really, really useful outside space.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17For this group of people, it's all about wanting to come and move here.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22And not making yourself somehow feel as though you have been moved here.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24So it should be really much pull rather than push.
0:36:26 > 0:36:31Do you think we need to change the way we see growing older in the UK?
0:36:31 > 0:36:33I think sometimes we get trapped,
0:36:33 > 0:36:37don't we, into a view in the UK that an Englishman's home is his castle.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40And that has to be the home that he's lived in for the last 30 years.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43I think we've seen in other developed societies
0:36:43 > 0:36:47actually people being much more mobile and actually matching their
0:36:47 > 0:36:51housing at any given time to what their life is like at that time.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53I think when that's done, the feedback you get is that
0:36:53 > 0:36:58people have a hugely improved lifestyle and sense of wellbeing.
0:36:58 > 0:36:59They really enjoy those later years.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- And where they live can be a really positive part of that.- Mm.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Subletting of social housing is disgusting
0:37:07 > 0:37:10and people should be prosecuted.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13They clearly, if they've left the premises, don't need it any longer.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15They shouldn't be making a profit from it.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17It should go to people who need it.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Trying to get my son accommodation, who lives with me,
0:37:20 > 0:37:22but there's no-one-bedrooms in Islington.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25And I've been told he'd have to move out the area, away
0:37:25 > 0:37:30from his family, away from people he knows which I think is very unfair.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32My sister's in social housing
0:37:32 > 0:37:35and having some problems at the moment herself.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39She's got a child and she's constantly under threat of being
0:37:39 > 0:37:43thrown out and being put into a bed and breakfast and things like that.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45So it's... Yeah, not great.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Whilst those with real need struggle to get social housing,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57some tenants get away with sitting on theirs
0:37:57 > 0:37:59whilst living the high life.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Luke's at housing association Viridian in London,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06where investigators snared one tenancy cheat
0:38:06 > 0:38:10thanks to a trail of evidence that led them halfway round the world.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Housing investigator Gema, who wishes to remain anonymous,
0:38:15 > 0:38:19found the tenant of one of her flats actually living, working
0:38:19 > 0:38:21and partying in Nigeria.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25This one came to us following another tenant nearby
0:38:25 > 0:38:28letting us know that she'd seen different people going in
0:38:28 > 0:38:30and out the property.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32One of the neighbours contacted you?
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Yeah. I mean, obviously she was concerned about the situation.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37You know, who's living in the property.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40How do you deal with that? What do you do?
0:38:40 > 0:38:41Obviously we do the basic checks.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43That's going through local authorities,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45see what evidence we hold on our records.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48We'll do credit checks at the property.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51In this case, that's what threw up a lot of our evidence.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Those enquiries, and a couple of internet searches later,
0:38:55 > 0:38:57and the shocking truth appeared.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Gema's tenant was living in Nigeria.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02Working for a law firm.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04- I'll show you some of the information.- OK.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06This is a company that she was working for.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08- When you saw that, were you shocked by that?- Yeah.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Very much so. We didn't want to leave it at that.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14So we continued the investigation. We found out more information.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19It seems Gema's tenant was quite the party girl.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21This is some of the red carpet events
0:39:21 > 0:39:24she was attending out in Nigeria.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Just from those photos, it looks like she's leading
0:39:26 > 0:39:28an almost celebrity lifestyle, doesn't she?
0:39:28 > 0:39:32Yeah. I mean, she's been named as attending this fashion show in 2012.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37Gema had plenty of evidence that her tenant was cheating the system.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Living more than 3,000 miles away in Lagos, Nigeria.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46So what was happening at her flat in Wandsworth while she wasn't there?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- This is it just here.- Wow. - Just the first floor flat there.- OK.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54- Quite a good location, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Your tenant is not in the country,
0:39:56 > 0:39:58she's blatantly working somewhere else.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00You found that out. What was going on with the property?
0:40:00 > 0:40:02We believe she'd been subletting.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Basically, it looked like a family friend
0:40:04 > 0:40:06- that she'd been subletting to. - Ah, OK.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09So I think we were on a dead end in getting any
0:40:09 > 0:40:10information from the subtenant.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14Not only was Gema's tenant not living at the flat she'd been
0:40:14 > 0:40:17allocated, she was allowing someone else to stay there
0:40:17 > 0:40:20without the knowledge of the authorities.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24With enough evidence gathered to stop her in her tracks,
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Gema decided to call time on her tenancy cheat.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31But further investigations revealed the tenant was about to fly
0:40:31 > 0:40:34to Barbados for a family wedding.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38Found out through the investigation that she may be in Barbados
0:40:38 > 0:40:41- attending a family wedding. - Lucky her.- Yeah.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46Gema's online research led her to details of a family wedding
0:40:46 > 0:40:51which was taking place on Saturday 18th of July, 2015.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54The exact day Gema served her notice to quit
0:40:54 > 0:40:56on the flat in Wandsworth.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59All the details of the wedding was listed.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03- We had her contact details, her Lagos number.- Right.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08So, while Gema's tenant partied in Barbados 3,000 miles away,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12outside her Wandsworth flat, Gema posted her notice
0:41:12 > 0:41:14and sent an e-mail notification too.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18It wasn't long before she heard back.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21She was so upset.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24I mean, I must have had about two phone calls, e-mails, texts,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26must have been on the phone for an hour.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29She was saying, "I haven't done anything wrong."
0:41:29 > 0:41:31And that's what made me even more upset and angry.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34I was like, "Seriously? Have you not noticed what's going on?"
0:41:34 > 0:41:37You've served notices on her. Did she accept that?
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Did she give the property back straightaway?
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Initially, she did want to say no. She's still living here.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48But at the 11th hour, Gema's tenant had a change of heart
0:41:48 > 0:41:50and handed over the keys.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53There is annoyance, anger, to some extent.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56Cos I just think of all those people who've been on the waiting list
0:41:56 > 0:41:59- for several years. - You've got the property back.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02It's now being re-let to someone who genuinely needs social housing.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04- It must make you so happy.- So happy.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09As the housing crisis worsens,
0:42:09 > 0:42:12it seems there's no limit to the levels some people will go to
0:42:12 > 0:42:14to cheat the system.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17But thanks to the tireless work of housing officers all
0:42:17 > 0:42:22across the country, these fraudsters are no longer getting away with it.