A series of investigations into housing fraud have culminated in a number of properties being recovered by Redbridge council.
The crackdown has saved it £702,000 in the last 12 months, according to the authority.
To date, fraud estimated to cost in excess of £1.3m has been prevented and 850 housing cases have been referred for review.
The council has recovered thirty nine properties, with Roding ward seeing the highest number of tenancy agreements being breached, after they were found to be illegally sub-let.
Seven homes under the Right to Buy scheme have been taken off the market after it was found the tenants were not living there and were sub-letting them.
The investigations have also led to the discovery of almost £90,000 in benefit fraud and council tax evasion.
Source
Is the scale of this a London problem?
Social housing fraud is the most wicked form of welfare fraud. The sums that can be saved are huge, but it's so much more than the money - needy families are being deprived of the chance to have a settled home that suits their needs.
The crackdown has saved it £702,000 in the last 12 months, according to the authority.
To date, fraud estimated to cost in excess of £1.3m has been prevented and 850 housing cases have been referred for review.
The council has recovered thirty nine properties, with Roding ward seeing the highest number of tenancy agreements being breached, after they were found to be illegally sub-let.
Seven homes under the Right to Buy scheme have been taken off the market after it was found the tenants were not living there and were sub-letting them.
The investigations have also led to the discovery of almost £90,000 in benefit fraud and council tax evasion.
Source
Is the scale of this a London problem?
Social housing fraud is the most wicked form of welfare fraud. The sums that can be saved are huge, but it's so much more than the money - needy families are being deprived of the chance to have a settled home that suits their needs.