Devon Home Choice is the choice-based lettings system used to allocate social housing (council and housing association homes) across Devon. It is run as a partnership between the Devon local authorities and housing associations, also called registered providers.
What is Social Housing Fraud and Vacation Devon Home Choice?
Social Housing Fraud has another name, Tenancy Fraud, and it comes in five types. In Unlawful subletting, a tenant rents out a home without the knowledge or permission of the landlord. In Obtaining housing by deception, a person gives false information on a housing application, such as applying for a Vacation Devon Home Choice allocation, to win a place.
In Key selling, a resident hands over the keys and takes a one-off payment, which means passing on keys for cash. Wrongly claimed succession starts when a tenant dies and someone tries to take over or succeed the tenancy without being entitled. Unlawful assignment happens when a resident stops using the tenancy as their principal home or main home, so another person can live there.
Why it’s important to tackle Social Housing Fraud
Social housing is a valuable public resource, and Devon feels the shortage of affordable homes every day. The Devon Home Choice partners want the best use of every property, so they check that each tenant is legally entitled to stay. When a home stays occupied by someone with no right to live there, people in need wait longer.
How will the Devon Home Choice partners tackle Social Housing Fraud?
Each of the Devon Home Choice partners has agreed the steps to prevent, detect, and take action against social housing fraud. The Devon local authorities send annual returns to the National Fraud Initiative. That check helps them identify potential fraudulent applications.
Torridge District Council owns no social homes, so housing associations and registered providers manage them and let most through Devon Home Choice. At a Full Council meeting on Monday, September 21, councillors heard a statement from Mr King, who speaks for the landowners of Atlantic Flatlets in Westward Ho!. The landowners offer 20 socially rented homes, including five adapted homes for disabled residents, and the offer stays open until December 31.
Mr King says the owners met Cllr Claire Hodson, the ward member and lead member for homelessness and housing need, together with Sean Kearney, the director of communities and place, on August 11. He says Kearney turned the plan down on September 3 because of financial constraints. He also says a reply from Hodson arrived on September 18, though it missed the main point.
Social Housing Site Acquisition and Valuations
The owners would accept a restrictive covenant that keeps the homes in social use in perpetuity, even though it lowers the land’s value. They say Homes England and brownfield funding could pay for much of the scheme, so council capital would not carry the cost. They also say the council wants a fixed price, while the housing land assessment and the Brownfield Land Register still need updates before a Red Book valuation.
Mr King asks why officers refused even exploratory negotiations over the acquisition of the fire damaged site. He made that case in a public statement, and no detailed reply came back at the meeting. He warns that constituents in need could lose these homes for good.
Planning History of 7 Atlantic Way and Local Housing Pressures
7 Atlantic Way has a long planning history. In 2017, the council gave outline permission for the demolition of the bedsits and up to 20 flats, and it recorded a later approval in 2020. Government data now shows the 0.11-hectare site has no permission, and the Brownfield Land Register still lists a potential of 20 homes.
The same pressure hits children and young people. Devon and the West Country lack Ofsted-registered and registered homes, so some youngsters end up in illegal accommodation that costs millions of pounds. Because Ofsted must register every home, providers with space charge up to £40,000 a week for the highest needs.
Unregistered Care Placements and Council Spending Challenges
Councils and local authorities say they want affordable placements closer to home, yet a government watchdog calls the system broken. They put safe and suitable accommodation first, but they take what they can find. The Guardian and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reported a booming industry in unregistered care.
Their work found 480 private companies earned £250million from 1,800 unlawful placements over two years. Councils across the country pay more than £125million a year, and one in 10 children in residential care sits in such a place. Some of these cases involve private fostering, family, or trusted adults.
Torbay Council spent £5million on unregistered care in 2025/26. Cllr Nick Bye of Wellswood, a Conservative and the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, says vulnerable children sit at the mercy of the market. In that year, 30 young people had 58 periods in such homes, and nine young people lived there in March.
Demand for specialist placements outruns supply, especially for complex needs, so placement shortages and rising costs keep growing. The Competition and Markets Authority raised worries about profits. Placement instability gets worse when providers issue terminations on short notice, and new regulations cut capacity further.
Local Care Housing Applications and Vacation Devon Home Choice
Torbay wants two-bed homes locally. A care firm filed a planning application in Paignton to turn a four-bedroomed family home into a residential institution for a maximum of two children, alternative to standard allocations like Vacation Devon Home Choice. Neighbours report noise, disturbance, and calls to emergency services, while carers already work in the house.
The applicant warns that unstable placements raise the risk of the criminal justice system, poor mental health, homelessness, and weak adult relationships. Devon County Council says, for statistical reasons, many children in unregistered accommodation actually live with family or responsible adults.
FAQs
1. How do I apply for housing through Devon Home Choice?
To apply, register online by creating an account on the Devon Home Choice website, complete the application form, and submit the required supporting documents to verify your local connection and housing needs.
2. How are housing applications prioritized?
Applications are assessed and placed into bandings (Band A to Band E) based on urgency, health or social needs, and current living conditions, as determined by local authority guidelines.
3. Can I bid on properties in any Devon parish?
You can view all available homes, but bidding preference is often given to applicants who demonstrate a strong local connection to the specific council area or parish where the property is located.
4. What happens after I place a bid on a property?
Once the bidding cycle closes, a shortlist is generated. The applicant in the highest priority band who has been waiting the longest is usually contacted for a view and verification checks.
5. How long does it usually take to get rehoused with Devon Home Choice?
Wait times with Devon Home Choice vary significantly depending on your priority band, preferred location, and property type, as high-demand areas and larger family homes often take longer to become available.