If we suspect unauthorised occupation of a Council house our housing officer will conduct enquiries to establish the whereabouts of the tenant.
If the tenant cannot be traced or does not respond to investigation by the housing officer, a legal notice will be served at the address seeking to repossess the house on the grounds that the tenant is no longer living in the house as his/her only home and is therefore in breach of their tenancy agreement. Action will follow to recover the tenancy.
Report unauthorised occupation
We would encourage neighbours to report abandoned tenancies or unauthorised occupation to the neighbourhood housing office.
Failure to do so could leave your own home at risk of damage, for example from burst pipes, and prevents people in real housing need from accessing accommodation.