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Fraudsters exploited the vulnerabilities in the property transaction system by stealing a homeowner’s identity and using a fake driving license to set up a bank account in his name to facilitate a sale in 2021. After four years, on 11 March 2025, a County Court finally granted the owner full possession of his home.
The Universal Credit Fair Repayment Rate will drop from 25% to 15%, reducing the amount available to service an individual’s monthly debts, including housing payments. Furthermore, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to overhaul the system of the automatic deduction of arrears and ongoing rent payments directly from tenants' Universal Credit or other benefits, following a court ruling which deemed the practice unlawful.
Recent data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) reveals that individuals aged between 18 and 39 account for nearly 75% of reported rental fraud cases, resulting in losses nearing £9 million across approximately 5,000 incidents last year. Property professionals must be vigilant and proactive in combating rental fraud to protect consumers and themselves.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) and property chamber Judges from the First-Tier Tribunal have collaborated on new consumer guidance aimed at helping leaseholders navigate the complex landscape for redress, after a sharp rise in block and estate management disputes. TPO received 6,649 enquiries about residential leasehold in 2024, however, most cases had to be redirected to a court or tribunal.