A COUNCIL has launched a campaign to tackle illegal subletting which can cost the taxpayer as much as £18,000 a year per property.

Runnymede Borough Council is working with the Surrey Counter Fraud Partnership to tackle tenancy fraud in its council houses by holding a key amnesty which launched on Saturday and runs until September 30.

The amnesty is aimed at council tenants who are not living in their council homes and are illegally subletting them – it provides an opportunity for those tenants to return the keys and surrender their tenancies without any legal action being taken against them.

Cllr Hugh Meares, Runnymede Borough Council’s Housing Committee chairman, said: “Illegal subletting puts pressure on our housing waiting list therefore taking longer to re-house homeless families.

“It currently costs the council an average of £350 a week to place a family in bed and breakfast.

“Each home surrendered will save the council £18,000 a year so we have made the identification of illegal subletting one of our top priorities.”

The Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 made subletting illegal.

It is a criminal offence when a council tenant moves out and sublets the property to someone else.

The council has also warned it will prosecute any tenants found subletting their council homes once the amnesty has ended.

Amanda Kendall, Runnymede Borough Council’s tenancy manager, said: “If we identify subletting after the amnesty has ended we will not hesitate to prosecute those tenants for fraud.

“They could face a fine of £5,000 or a two year prison sentence and they may be required to pay to the council any ‘profit’ made on the illegal subletting.”

If you are a council tenant illegally subletting your property and now want to return it to the council during the amnesty, you will first need to ensure the property is empty of all illegal occupants.

You must then complete a surrender form and return it to the Civic Centre, in Station Road, Addlestone, by post or in person, along with your keys.

If you suspect a council tenant is illegally subletting a council property, or is committing any other fraud against the council, call the 24 hour Fraud Hotline anonymously on 01932 830821 or email fraud@runnymede.gov.uk.

To download a surrender form or for more about the key amnesty, go to www.runnymede.gov.uk/keyamnesty.