Taylor Vinters - Solicitors

People who cheat the social housing system by subletting their council or housing association home may be clamped down upon through a new government scheme.

Launched by housing minister John Healey, plans for a coordinated crackdown could free up between 5,000 and 10,000 homes later this year and in 2010.

A proposed anti-fraud programme would also see a sweep of social housing and benefit records, while housing associations would be given advice on how to catch people who try and cheat the tenancy system.

The government also wants councils to communicate more with local residents to dispel myths surrounding how homes are allocated.

Mr Healey commented: "People must have more confidence that decisions about who gets housing are taken fairly.

"This means better information for residents, so that local authorities' allocation policies are clear, well understood and meet the needs of the whole community."

Mr Healey recently announced that a total of £925 million will be given to firms to kick-start a number of housing association and private home building projects.

Elizabeth Deyong of Taylor Vinters commented: "With chronic shortage of affordable housing throughout the country, government must be seen to be cracking down on tenants who abuse the system in this way.

"But the numbers of empty houses on the books of local authorities and housing associations are even more scandalous.

"It is time that funding was made available for the necessary refurbishments to bring those houses back into circulation.

"New build gets all the publicity but that is not all that is required to house those in need."