Direct costs from tenancy fraud and misuse in Northern Ireland’s social housing sector reached £8,079,800 during 2024-25, an Auditor General’s report has shown. Across the region 284 social homes were recovered: 169 by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) and 115 by registered housing associations.

In the Western area, 14 NIHE homes were recovered at an estimated cost of £398,300, including investigation, legal and temporary accommodation expense. The area has 8,458 NIHE properties, giving a recovery rate of 16.6 per 10,000.

Housing associations operating in the Derry region also recorded recoveries: Apex recovered six homes, Arbour eight, Choice 23, Clanmil three, Radius 30, Triangle 15 and Woven 15. A geographic breakdown for housing association recoveries was not provided in the report.

Auditor General Dorinnia Carville stated that the reported recovery rate is unlikely to reflect the true level of fraud. Applying estimates from England, where up to one in 30 social homes may be affected, she noted that up to 4,000 properties in Northern Ireland could be subject to tenancy fraud or misuse.

Ms Carville said each case of fraud denies a home to someone in need at a time of record housing waiting lists. She highlighted that the lack of social housing is increasing reliance on temporary accommodation, with expenditure rising to over £40 million in 2025.

She recommended that the Department for Communities establish an evidence-based baseline estimate of the problem within six months and require both the NIHE and housing associations to implement an annual coordinated programme of tenancy fraud and misuse audits.

Foyle MLA Mark H. Durkan said the true scale remains unknown because no baseline has ever been set. He called the available figures “guesstimates” and argued the actual number is likely higher, with greater cost to the public purse. He urged a move away from reliance on public reporting toward proactive identification of fraud by the Housing Executive and housing associations.