Camden claims £7.5m savings in campaign against unlawful subletting

The London Borough of Camden this week claimed to have saved nearly £7.5m over the last financial year by gaining possession of a record number of properties that were illegally occupied.

The 100 properties seized will now be re-let to those on Camden’s council housing waiting list, which has more than 17,000 people on it.

The cases included:

• A tenancy audit of a block in Holborn uncovered a tenant who had moved away, leaving her partner to sublet her flat to a doctor and his pregnant wife for £1,000 a month
• A Holborn tenant, who was living in another property in the borough which he had not declared. The council became suspicious when he contacted the repairs team giving a different contact number, and
• A tenant in Kentish Town, who had moved to Italy and was illegally subletting her property. The council contacted the tenant, and the courts granted the council possession without her attending the hearing.

Councillor James King, Executive Member for Housing Services at Camden, said he hoped the cases would “send out a clear warning to anyone attempting to cheat the housing system in Camden”.

He added: “The actions of these individuals meant valuable properties were being occupied by people who weren’t entitled to them. I urge people to report anyone they suspect is committing housing fraud, so we can make sure our properties are let to people who need them.”