Airbnb and Booking.com have been accused of facilitating fraud by refusing to take action against social housing tenants who illegally sublet properties to holidaymakers. Local authorities and social housing providers claim the platforms are refusing to cooperate with requests to remove illegally listed holiday lets and, as a result, are depriving homeless families of secure housing. It is a criminal offence for tenants to rent out council or housing association accommodation. Tenants are required to notify councils and housing associations if a property is no longer required as a permanent residence, but some are retaining them illegally to earn an income.
One tenant was found to be advertising his housing association property for £4,000 a week, having never lived in it, according to the campaign group the Tenancy Fraud Forum (TFF).