Public housing cheats exposed over millions in rorts

ALMOST 8000 public housing tenants have been dobbed in or fessed up to millions of dollars in rorts. Now, they’ll pay the price.

ALMOST 8000 people have admitted to or were dobbed in over rorting the public housing system in New South Wales with some now facing eviction.

Tenants and their neighbours came clean on $26.8 million in undeclared income and $28.2 million in property they had failed to declare to the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) under the protection of a seven-week amnesty.

Among the thousands ripping off the system to get cheap rent was a nightclub owner who was about to inherit a $4 million property.

Another Sydney public housing tenant admitted to owning a property while occupying a social housing studio in an area with a high homeless rate. This person was excused from paying back rent because they 'fessed up during the amnesty period.

Neighbours of a Hunter Region public housing property dobbed in residents of the house they said had 14 people living in it who were suspected of being charged rent by the tenant, and another was exposed as living with her husband while claiming to be a single parent.

Thousands of tenants have been lying about their income, property ownership or unauthorised occupants to get cheap rent.

Tenants who were sprung rorting the system were charged rent and some face eviction and could even be prosecuted.

In the more than 7800 calls where tenants were dobbed in or owned up to lying about their assets and income, extra tenants and living situations, the government claws back more than $3 million in additional rent.

In a statement sent to news.com.au, NSW Social Housing Minister Pru Goward said the amnesty had yielded a great result.

“The extra income will be poured back into the social housing system when we are continuing to make improvements to the lives of our tents,” Ms Goward said. “It is also a great result for the community who expect our social housing tenants to be paying the correct rent so that the Government can provide better services for those who need it most.”