Lambeth Council has successfully recovered over £1.2 million in fraudulent Right to Buy discounts, as revealed in a report presented to the Audit and Risk Committee. The council's Counter Fraud Annual Report for 2025/26 detailed a range of successful interventions, including the recovery of 79 tenancies.
The report highlighted that the cost of the counter fraud service was significantly less than the value of fraud identified. In addition to the £1.2 million in prevented Right to Buy discounts, which were related to fraudulent Right to Buy applications, the service also recovered 79 tenancies through investigations into tenancy fraud.
Michael O'Reilly, Head of Counter Fraud, presented the findings, noting that prevention remains a key priority. The service is set to expand its capacity with the appointment of three new investigators. These investigators will be focused on preventing and identifying fraud risks across housing allocations, homelessness, and temporary accommodation, with the aim of enhancing the council's capacity to tackle tenancy fraud.
Plans for 2026/27 include strengthening fraud prevention measures and continuing efforts to tackle tenancy fraud. The report can be found in the Public reports pack Thursday 23-Jul-2026 17.30 Audit and Risk Committee.
