Southampton launches ‘key amnesty’ to help cut housing fraud

Southampton City Council is encouraging anyone who is illegally living in a council property to return their keys next month, without facing criminal proceedings.

The local authority will allow fraudsters to return their keys anonymously during the whole month of November – in what’s being called a ‘key amnesty’.

All people need to do is enclose their keys in an envelope, attach the property address and drop the keys through the post box of one of the council’s local housing offices.

The deadline for the ‘amnesty’ is 30 November, after which enforcement action will return.

According to the council, the average waiting time for a three-bedroom council home in Southampton is currently six years.

And the government estimates approximately 310 council properties were illegally occupied in the city in 2018.

‘Housing fraud is a national problem and costs cities like Southampton millions of pounds each year; this money could be spent supporting and protecting our most vulnerable or building more homes that local people desperately need,’ said cabinet member for homes and culture, Cllr Satvir Kaur.

‘With waiting lists so high, we all have a responsibility to ensure that those most in need can access the limited council housing available.

‘So, I am encouraging people to please make the most of our key amnesty. If you don’t, the extra measures we have put in place to crack down on fraudsters mean you will be found, and you could face legal action.’

Photo Credit – Weinstock (Pixabay)