Crackdown on false repair claims
Partnership scheme cracks down on false reporting of repairs
A NEW system has been launched to prevent council tenants making false claims of criminal damage to their home.
Sheffield Homes and South Yorkshire Police have devised a more robust procedure that will help to identify and tackle false repair claims. The scheme could save Sheffield Homes, the organisation that manages the city’s council housing, thousands of pounds, as well as freeing up valuable police time.
Many repair requests are genuine and these are fixed free of charge. But where the tenant causes the damage, they will be charged for the repair. Where a false claim of criminal damage is made, the tenant will be prosecuted. Sheffield Homes could take further action against them for breaching their tenancy agreement, up to and including possession of the property.
The new system will help to ensure:
- genuine crimes are investigated thoroughly
- false claims of criminal damage are identified, resulting in the tenant being charged for the repair
- repeat offenders, locations and patterns are identified using joint recording and profiling systems
- money is not spent on repairs where the tenant is liable, with the savings reinvested in Sheffield Homes services and tenants’ homes
Tenants must now report repairs to Sheffield Homes on 0114 2735555 during office hours or 0114 2730101 at other times.
Jon Lovibond, Director of Investment at Sheffield Homes, said: "Tenants can be assured that genuine incidents of damage outside their control will be repaired free of charge. However, this new system will help us identify people who are making false claims, which could result in serious consequences for the tenant."
To tackle issues like criminal damage and antisocial behaviour in the long-term, agencies including the police and Sheffield Homes work together in local Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
Chief Inspector Rachel Barber said: "A city-wide project is underway to look at ways to reduce criminal damage in Sheffield. In the short-term we can take preventative steps such as increasing police or warden patrols, but in the long-term we need to focus on things like gathering evidence on the culprits and providing diversions for potential offenders. By bringing all agencies together we can find the best long-term solutions for a community."