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Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
Developing Partnerships to Tackle Fraud • Who we are• Munim Farid – Special Projects (Consultant)• Karen Lengthorn – Special Projects Manager• Carol Owen – A-FACT Manager Lewisham Council• Juliet Bennett – A-FACT Lewisham Council
Lewisham Homes in partnership with the Lewisham Council’s Anti-Fraud and Corruption Team (A-FACT) and South East London Housing Partnership (SELHP)
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
Anti-Fraud & Corruption Policy• Lewisham Homes has an approved Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy
through which it aims to eradicate fraud and corruption.
• Other Policies which strengthen its commitment include:• Code of Conduct Board Members and Employees• Gifts and Hospitality• Wired Working Policy• Whistle blowing• Register of Personal Interests (PO9+)• Maintenance of a Fraud Register• Introduction of an Acceptable Use Policy (inc phone monitoring and use of
CCTV
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
Partnership• Local Authority
– A-FACT– Homeless Persons Unit– Housing Applications– Housing Benefit– Council tax– Registry Office– National Fraud Initiative
• London Borough of Southwark (SELHP)• RSL’s• Department of Works and Pensions
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
Prevention and Detection of FraudBy Tenants: • Occupancy Checks• Detail Investigations ( A-FACT)• Detail Investigations (South East London Housing Partnership)• Including National Fraud InitiativeBy Officers• Any incidents relating to officers are sent to the Anti-Fraud &
Corruption Team to investigate and report back to Lewisham Homes SMT
By Contractors and Suppliers
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
How we receive and investigate referrals:Receive from• Fraud Hotline• Tenants and members of the public writing in• Suspicious tenancy activity• Staff• Repairs and caretaking staff• Contractors undertaking gas checks
Use the following systems• Data Analysis
National Fraud Initiative Housing system Housing Benefit Council Tax Customer View ( Experian) Legal Landlord Land Registry
• Door Knocking
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
Results Oct 09 to Mar 10 2010/11 Total Since October 09
Cases Opened 1218 1051 2269
Cases Closed 1133 601 1734
NTQ’s served 417 178 595
NTQ’s withdrawn 224 74 298
Genuine Occ’s confirmed
908535 1443
Properties Recovered
8287 169
Rent owed £ 172,899.30 £ 124,658.34 £ 297,557.64
% Recovered following Occ
Check 14.9% 12.1% 13.40%
49 Legal cases
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
SanctionsSub-Letting• Civil Proceedings to recover property under Housing Act 1985 • Civil Proceedings under ‘Unjust Enrichment’ recent test case (November
2010) tenant ordered to pay £7,179.52 property repossessed• Criminal Prosecution under Fraud Act 2006 (undertaken where evidence is
robust)Officer Fraud:• Disciplinary action leading to dismissal • Criminal Prosecution• Or both Criminal Prosecution – may involve the use of Proceeds of Crime ActPublicity of successes
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
Achieving it’s commitment• Establishing an anti-fraud and corruption culture by:• Issuing and updating procedures• Publishing approach and successes• Training Board members, Managers and officers
• Future Training of the Staff will include:• ID Fraud and case studies• Immigration status rules• Rights of EU members to benefits within the UK• How to produce witness statements for criminal prosecutions
Delivering great housing services for thriving neighbourhoods
Finally together in partnership we can…