Lying to the council?!?

Question

how do the council go about checking up on peoples applications for housing?

i know someone who's recently been given a place, she lied and said she lived with her auntie (making it overcrowed) when really she lived with her mother!.

this annoys me, should i grass her up? how did she get away with this? im absolutly livid!

Answer 1

hi, yes i know what you mean, and how you feel, but its highly unlikely the council will take away her home now.

Answer 2

You simply do NOT know what she told the council or the reason she was housed. That information is confidential and restricted. There may well be circumstances taht you are unaware off.

Answer 3

Lying about overcrowding would still only have put her in Band C Medium Priority, so a lot of people don't get housed now even if they are overcrowded, so you don't know for sure how much her lie contributed to her getting housed, or whether there were other reasons.  I'm not a great fan of grassing up usually, but it isn’t easy to get council housing now, so I think lying is a bit out of order to help get it.  It's up to you ultimately if you want to take the responsibility, it is a criminal offence to give false information on a housing application form so she could face eviction and a fine.  Here’s an example of a housing application form which sets out the conditions:

http://www.blackpool.gov.uk/Services/A-F...

Before you grass her up though, please think if you'd be happy if someone did it to you if you'd felt justified in doing something similar.  Also think about if any possible harm it could do to her children would outweigh your sense of justice.

Also, it might not be worth it, because her flat might go to someone who'd told an even bigger whopper that you wouldn't know about.

Answer 4

yes you should tell even if it's to give the flag up to this

Answer 5

TBH I can't see what the council will do.

Answer 6

why would u want to be spiteful n grass some 1 up. lying to get a council property seems to be the done thing nowadays. who can blame her.I also agree with others, its not fair that some people go straight to the top of the list when others just get pushed aside when seemingly other peopl are more desperate!!!

Answer 7

Unfortunately, very few applications are checked.

Councils are beginning to crack down on these now, and people face fraud charges. If you have proof that she were living at her mothers and not her aunties, then hand it in. It would then be up the council officers to take action.

Answer 8

to be honest they probably won't do anything.

just concentrate on researching your own situation as much as you can. i really hope things get better for you, and you get a break soon.

good luck.

Answer 9

leave here alone. if u don't lie u don't get unless u are seeking asylum that is a fact as someone i no works for the local council as a housing officer