Client Spotlight

Case Study: Swan Housing and MRI Tenancy Analytics

Case Study: Swan Housing and MRI Tenancy Analytics

Swan Housing, along with all housing associations in England and Wales, has a regulatory requirement to tackle tenancy fraud and to make the best use of its stock to ensure its homes are let to those with the greatest need.

In order to achieve this, Swan Housing had been manually collating data to identify potential cases for investigation. This had proven a time-consuming and not wholly reliable way to identify fraud, so in May 2017 Swan Housing began using our Tenancy Analytics software.

Here, with Andrea O’Callaghan, Head of Business Improvement and Allocations at Swan Housing we take a look at its first 18 months usage of Tenancy Analytics:

“First of all, the system has allowed us to match our records against information held by other agencies to identify potential incidences of fraud. The four main areas of tenancy fraud identified through our use of Tenancy Analytics are:

  • Tenants not using the property as their principle home
  • Subletting
  • Holding a mortgage on another property
  • Having multiple address records 

The majority of cases identified for investigation of fraud are now highlighted for us through Tenancy Analytics.”

Since implementation of Tenancy Analytics, the number of cases investigated by Swan Housing as a result of the Tenancy Analytics software is over 1.5 times greater than those resulting from all other sources. In 2018 alone Swan recovered 12 properties to tenancy fraud with other investigations ongoing, which has enabled it to offer these recovered homes to other tenants in desperate need of housing.

Not only has Tenancy Analytics enabled identification of cases, but the data gathered has also served to encourage swift resolutions, as Andrea explains:

“As a registered provider we are unable to prosecute those we find guilty of tenancy fraud, as only local authorities have this power. Legal action would be required, which can be both lengthy and expensive, so our preferred solution is to encourage surrender of the property. As our knowledge of Tenancy Analytics increases, the number of cases of the tenant surrendering the tenancy has been growing.”

One recent case illustrative of this, is detailed here:

Case Study: The tenant of a three-bedroomed flat was flagged through Tenancy Analytics as having a mortgage at another property. A joint investigation with London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH) Fraud Team discovered the tenant and their partner had a joint mortgage on a property they were sub-letting while they were living overseas. The Swan Housing property was used as a base when they visited the UK. After being interviewed under caution the tenants returned the keys.

Andrea adds that, “In addition to tackling fraud, we are using Tenancy Analytics to alert us to changes to the tenant’s details and/or household members which helps to ensure our data is both accurate and up to date . We use the system to check the information provided for applications to amend a tenancy. This could include changing a sole tenancy to a joint, and vice versa, name changes and changes to household members. It is also used to verify application for assignments and successions.

If Tenancy Analytics does not confirm the details of those claiming occupancy (including for the specified length of time), they will have to provide further evidence and an explanation as to why they do not appear to be registered as living at the property.

Not only this, but Tenancy Analytics also highlights discrepancies between the data we hold and that of other agencies. There are currently around 700 tenancy discrepancies on our system that require attention; many of these will be as minor as a different spelling of a name, but in some cases they can lead to evidence of fraud.

The majority of tenancy fraud cases can be detected by regularly checking whether a tenant is actually residing at the property and the most effective way of doing this is by combining our expertise and Tenancy Analytics data to undertake residency matching. Tenancy Analytics alerts our officers when a tenant details change, so we can be proactive.

Tenancy Analytics software is an important tool for tackling tenancy fraud and has proven invaluable in the recovery of properties and processing tenancy applications. Tenancy Analytics is also used by our Income Team to help recover former tenant debt and ensure a new tenant can sustain a tenancy by undertaking a pre tenancy financial assessment.”

As Swan Housing has indicated in its use of Tenancy Analytics, the module is multi-faceted in its uses and benefits. From identifying potential incidences of fraud, to ensuring swift resolutions, proactive working leading to money-saving gains, supporting tenancy sustainability and recovering former tenant debt, Tenancy Analytics can be used by housing associations to provide a verified view of the facts, enabling it to make informed decisions around tenants and housing stock.

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