A SPECIAL team of investigators will be tracking down social housing fraudsters across Devon, thanks to a £200,000 grant.

A bid by a partnership of Devon local authorities, including West Devon Borough Council, and social landlords, has won government funding for a two-year project.

Fraudsters who rent out their social home and live elsewhere can cost the taxpayer as much as £900 million a year while making thousands of pounds in profits from their so-called tenants.

A social housing fraud prevention forum will be set up for the project and a team of investigators will be tasked with tracking down fraudsters and investigating cases across local authority boundaries.

They will focus on those who unlawfully sublet social housing and those who provide false information in order to get a home from a council or registered provider through the Devon Home Choice register.

Whilst West Devon Borough Council does not own any housing it works closely with partner landlords to ensure the effective use of social housing stock.

With this funding and by working in partnership across Devon the authorities can be more effective and catch out anyone trying to fraudulently obtain social housing.

The is due to come into force this summer and will widen the areas of social housing fraud that are criminal offences and increase the penalties

Anyone found guilty could face a fine and a custodial sentence of up to two years, while councils will be able to recover the proceeds of sub-letting social homes.