Ealing Council tenants are being warned they could be evicted or face prison for fraud if they are caught illegally renting out their homes through Airbnb.
The warning follows a new data-sharing agreement between the government and Airbnb which will help councils identify social housing being advertised as short-term holiday accommodation.
Council homes cannot be sublet as holiday accommodation, with tenants caught committing fraud facing eviction, fines or up to two years in prison.
Ealing Council says it has already recovered 33 homes through tenancy fraud investigations in the past 18 months and the new Airbnb agreement will make it easier to identify properties being illegally let.
Councillor Louise Brett, Ealing Council deputy leader and cabinet member for safe and genuinely affordable homes, said: “The overwhelming majority of council tenants follow the rules and use their homes as their main residence. However, we will always take strong action when we find that our properties are being misused.”
She added: “Every council home recovered through tenancy fraud investigations is a home that could be allocated to a person or family in genuine need.”
