Anonymous tipsters are being urged to dob in housing fraudsters in Bradford via a dedicated hotline in a Yorkshire-wide crackdown.

Bradford Council is teaming up with other local authorities and social landlords across the Yorkshire and Humber region to try to stamp out illegal sub-letting in social housing.

It is also fraudulent for a social housing tenant to provide false information in order to get a tenancy, or to stop living at their home without ending the tenancy.

Across the UK, there are an estimated 98,000 housing association and council homes occupied by someone who should not live there.

Housing fraud takes up valuable housing which deprives families and individuals of the homes they need, a Council spokesman said.

Martin Stubbs, assistant director of the revenues and benefits service at Bradford Council, said: “We are looking forward to working with other local authorities and organisations in the fight against fraud. We would urge people to help us stamp it out by coming forward and reporting their suspicions.”

Karen Lee, director of Incommunities’ Neighbourhood Services, said: “We are committed to cracking down on any Incommunities tenants who are found to be involved in illegal sub-letting.

“We would urge anyone who may be aware of such a practice at one of our properties to contact either our 24-hour reporting line – (01274) 254274 – or the Bradford Council contact number.”

To report someone suspected of committing tenancy fraud, phone the fraud hotline in confidence on (01274) 437511.