Councils to use Airbnb data to catch illegal social housing sublets

The government has announced a crackdown on social housing fraud, with offenders facing fines and up to two years in prison.

Under a first-of-its-kind data-sharing agreement between Airbnb and the Cabinet Office, people illegally subletting social housing through the platform will be identified and could be evicted from their properties.

Eviction and prison sentences

Government figures reveal 5,800 social homes in England are being illegally sublet on short-term rental platforms, with each case of tenancy fraud costing taxpayers an estimated £78,300.

Under the new agreement, local councils will be able to cross-check social housing records against Airbnb listings, helping to identify properties being used fraudulently and return them to families in genuine need.

Those found committing tenancy fraud could face eviction, fines and prison sentences of up to two years.

Cabinet Office Minister Satvir Kaur said: “By working with Airbnb, we’re sending a crystal clear message: if you’re cheating the social housing system, we will find you and we will prosecute you. These homes exist to help people who genuinely need them, not to line the pockets of fraudsters.

“This government will always crack down on those taking advantage of taxpayers and depriving families of the homes they desperately need. This partnership shows what we can achieve when government, local authorities and industry work together, and we are calling on other short-term letting platforms and councils to follow this lead.”

Entire short-term rental industry to follow suit

Lisa Marçais, general manager for UKI, Northern Europe, and MEA, Airbnb, added: “Social housing fraud has no place on Airbnb.

“We’re proud to have driven the first ever data-sharing agreement of this kind in partnership with the Cabinet Office and local authorities across the country, but to truly tackle this problem we need the entire short-term rental industry to follow suit and participate in this initiative.

“We remain committed to swiftly removing confirmed fraudulent listings and have a clear, established process for councils to flag issues with properties listed on Airbnb.”

The government said the scheme has already proved successful. In one case, a social housing tenant who illegally rented out their Westminster City Council flat in Soho on Airbnb for more than a year while living in France was identified through the initiative.

The tenant was fined £12,890, based on the income generated from the Airbnb listings, and the property was returned to Westminster City Council to be allocated to a family in genuine housing need.