Crackdown on temporary accommodation misuse frees up homes in Redbridge

Redbridge Council has taken decisive action to clamp down on fraud in temporary accommodation, helping ensure properties are allocated to those who need them most.

Since launching a targeted initiative in November 2023, the Council’s Counter-fraud Team has carried out more than 1000 visits to over 600 properties. Through proactive, face-to-face checks, the team has been able to identify and recover 43 units that were not being used as intended, freeing them up for people in genuine need of housing support.

The work is part of a broader effort to modernise processes to reflect the growing demand for temporary accommodation. With an increasing number of households on the Council’s waiting lists, Redbridge is stepping up efforts to make sure the limited resources are used fairly and effectively.

Cllr Saima Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, said: “Redbridge, like the rest of London, is facing a housing crisis and with more people than ever relying on us for support, we need to make every home count. By taking a more proactive approach, we’ve recovered dozens of properties for people in genuine need. This work is about fairness and ensuring that temporary accommodation goes to those who truly need it. This means any attempts to misuse the system, we will take action.”

The Council has also strengthened checks, moving towards more in-person verification to better identify potential fraud. This ongoing work is helping to reduce the number of people on the waiting list and allow for council funds to be more efficiently allocated.