State house fraud
October 8th, 2009 at 9:37 am by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
A man is facing allegations he lived off the taxpayer in state housing while he was a landlord owning two properties.
Allan Wilkins, a beneficiary, allegedly lived in two state houses – first in the city centre then in Orakei – over a period of three years. …
The Crown says during the three years that Wilkins was living in the two Housing NZ Corporation places and receiving big rent subsidies, he also owned 149 Browns Rd at Wiri and 2 Sheehan Ave in Papakura.
The Wiri property is valued at $260,000 and the Papakura house is estimated at $200,000.
Dale Dufty, prosecuting, said more charges would be laid against Wilkins over his tenancies which had defrauded the state of more than $68,000.
Now this is a rare case, but it does highlight one of the problems of providing housing assistance through cheap housing, rather than through income support. It provides an incentive for people to qualify for a state house by not disclosing other property.
I note Wilkins is on a benefit. I presume he was receiving rental income from his other properties, so WINZ may want to be checking that out also.
Related posts:
- State House Tenants can now buy their homes
- state housing fraud
- Home ownership for state house tenants
- Two mercs, a porsche and a state house
October 8th, 2009 at 9:39 am
When I read the headline “State Tenant Owned Two Properties” I automatically thought “gosh, not another story about Bill English”..hahahahaha!!!
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Maybe he went for the trifecta and rented his properties out to beneficiaries receiving housing assistance as well.
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 9:49 am
He was probably just organising a good superannuation situation for his retirement needs modelled on the Green Party scheme.
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Nine months ago I saw a man struggling to take a large piece of furniture into his home and offered to help him with it. He was very grateful but I couldn’t help but notice inside that he lived in squalor. The house smelt of cat urine throughout because he fed the local strays, apparently. There were six-foot long cobwebs on the ceiling and windows and large piles of newspapers on much of the floor, restricting movement in the house. The grass was about three foot high and part of it was littered with empty plastic drinks containers in mountain five feet high.
It appeared to be a State House and I reported my concerns to the local Housing NZ office who confirmed it was theirs and they would investigate. I walked past the property last week and from the street nothing appears to have changed, in fact the section is even more overgrown. What a disgrace. Shame on Housing NZ.
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 10:02 am
I hope the guy gets at least 6 years – otherwise the Taito race card will come out again
chris2 – he wasnt feeding the animals vegan diets by an chance was he? – (he may be a frequent commenter on this blog….eh?)
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 10:14 am
DPF said: … but it does highlight one of the problems of providing housing assistance through cheap housing, rather than through income support.
Not at all. Someone who is prepared to fraudulently omit to disclose ownership of property on an application to Housing New Zealand for a state house is also likely to be prepared to fraudulently omit to disclose it on an application to Work and Income for accommodation supplement they are not entitled to receive.
The dishonest will rip the system off, whichever way the housing assistance is provided.
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Patrick
Vote:A bloke called Sean Sullivan was jailed for 6 months in August after he defrauded the Housing Corporation by letting out a housing corporation of which he was tennant and living elsewhere.
That gives you an idea of the likely sentence if he is found guilty.
October 8th, 2009 at 10:31 am
So Alex, are you suggesting he is likely to get more state funded accommodation?
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Why as taxpayers do we have to support these thieving fucking parasites. If I was King for the day this bastard would lose one house automatically and this house would be auctioned off to refund the state. Second step, no more state house and if the prick is drawing a benefit, will that’s gone for life to. In fact I would make law anyone on the benefit and is found guilty of a criminal offense should lose all support from the state for life, as soon as the judges hammer hits the bench. What’s the bet offending rates would halve over night. Come Nats, time to get the viagra out.
Vote:October 8th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Yes, that is if he is found guilty of course.
Vote:October 9th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Crazy that hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars is invested in real estate to help one beneficiary – could anyone think of a more inefficient use of taxpayer money?
Also totally stupid to say that selling state houses lowers the supply of housing – no one buys a house to leave it empty! In fact charging market rates is a good incentive to not leave bedrooms empty. There is the case of the beneficiary who had to take in a flatmate to help pay her rent when market rates came in under the last National government. When Labour came in she got a massive rent reduction and decided she didn’t need to bother with a flatmate anymore!
Vote:October 9th, 2009 at 6:45 am
Yep, but don’t expect the pathetic Nats. to reinstate proper market rents. That would be too much. Oh of course the MP wouldn’t support them cause that would upset all the coloured ones.
Vote: