Informing clients about their duty

Clients on the social housing register or who rent in social housing must understand:

• they generally have a duty to advise MSD of any change in circumstances
• the consequences of failing to meet this duty e.g. MSD may review whether they still qualify for social housing or the property they are renting, and failure to declare a change in circumstance could result in prosecution.

Note clients do not need to tell MSD when they get, or have a change to, information share Child Support payments.

You need to make sure clients are aware of their duty to advise any change of circumstances and the consequences of failing to do this. See:

• Information documents advising of duty.

There are documents that reinforce the need for clients to advise MSD of a change in circumstances. These include:

• the placement letter
• Income Related Rent annual review letters
• Information sheet attached to most housing letters.