Claiming Benefits but not at address

nicole2216

I am a decent law abiding citizen, I am unemployed, married with kids, in receipt of benefits, in a 2 bedroom council flat. Im happy with my lot and do not want to sound bitter.

My neighbour on the other hand, is a single parent with a young school age daughter who although is in receipt of benefits, is not living in her flat.:mad:
I am very annoyed that she is in receipt of benefits, paid for by the taxpayer (which I am not at the moment) but is not living in the accomodation provided.
I have informed the local council and the benefits office, but she still has tenancy and her daughter is still registered at the local school.
With all this kick up in the news at the moment about the housing crisis, is it not wrong that she is still there when so many people are homeless. I know she is living with her mother at her mothers home address and I even had confirmation from a fraud officer that the council beleive that she is not living at her benefit address.

Can any forum members suggest another route I can take, to help free up the homelessness numbers, even if it is only by one family.

Many thanks:xmastree:

tomjonesrules

When did you inform the council? It can take months for a case like this to be resolved.

chigley

Social Housing Fraud is actually quite high on the general fraud agenda, and most local authorities are treating it with a higher priority. It may well be worth reporting it again.

nicole2216

Just over a year ago if not longer. This is Enfield Council.
Apprently the fraud officer incharge of the case has now left and the case has been passed to someone else!!!
Seems to me its a different kettle of fish if the council want money off you, but as long as the rent is being paid, they dont seem to be that bothered.
Im wondering if a letter the the office of Grant Shapps (uk housing minister) would make a difference.

tomjonesrules

nicole2216 wrote: »

Just over a year ago if not longer. This is Enfield Council.
Apprently the fraud officer incharge of the case has now left and the case has been passed to someone else!!!
Seems to me its a different kettle of fish if the council want money off you, but as long as the rent is being paid, they dont seem to be that bothered.
Im wondering if a letter the the office of Grant Shapps (uk housing minister) would make a difference.

That will just get their backs up, I really would not go down that route.

At the moment your calls chasing it up are taking someone away from their more important duties. You also need to remember that this will be one of many cases they are investigating, and that they have no obligation and most of the time, no right to tell you what is going on.

You have done your bit, now you need to leave them to do theirs.

Phils_debt

Without coming across defending her but a plus point for you is at least if its the flat above you or next to you then you know your not likely to have horrible noisy neighbours you could have some unsociable tenants move in .

Ps not condoning benefit fraud just would love to own a house without music been blasted out sometimes in the early hours :eek:

ikati5

With the greatest respect, have you nothing else to worry about?

BigAunty

It is probably very difficult for a council or the DWP to prove that a person isn't occupying their primary address. It would take a lot of research, surveillance, etc to track her down and it might not be possible.

Fraudsters know it's easy to fly under the radar and pose as a single person when they are in a couple living elsewhere so long as all their official mail and registered addresses goes to the unoccupied property and not to the one where they actually live.

A social housing landlord will find it very hard to repossess a property in these circumstances - a tenant may even have a legitimate reason for being away from the property for a long period anyway (in hospital, prison, looking after a sick relative, etc).

As a previous poster has indicated, an empty neighbouring flat is probably more welcome than a noisy tenant or a sublet property crammed with people, for example.

nicole2216

Phils_debt wrote: »

Ps not condoning benefit fraud just would love to own a housewithout music been blasted out sometimes in the early hours :eek:

I would love to own a house!!!!

ikati5 wrote: »

With the greatest respect, have you nothing else to worry about?

Im not worried, my issue is we are bombared with information telling us the poor tax payers of the country are subsidising the unemployed and yet heres a classic case of 'not my business, not my problem'

I hesitated at putting this question on the forum, as I didnt want to be seen as a busy body with 'nothing better to do' looks like I wasnt wrong. :cool:

WPN

OP... Did you tell them the mother's address?

I am sure if you hint that this person may have been involved in some sort of mischief at the riots...

nicole2216

WPN wrote: »

OP... Did you tell them the mother's address?

I am sure if you hint that this person may have been involved in some sort of mischief at the riots...

Yes they know the mothers address, and lol @ mischief at the riots - u never know!!!!