The aim is to reclaim council homes that are being illegally sublet so the council can ensure they are given to people on our waiting list who are in desperate need of social housing.

As well as the key amnesty, East Lothian Council is increasing efforts to track down people who are carrying out the illegal practice of subletting their council home and has recently recruited a dedicated corporate fraud officer to investigate.

Councillor Andy Forrest, East Lothian Council spokesperson for Housing and Property Maintenance, said: “Usually, housing fraud carries serious penalties, including eviction. January’s key amnesty gives people the opportunity to hand back their keys to their Local Housing Office without facing any further action. Housing fraud is a serious issue as it denies people in genuine need of a home. This is part of a national initiative and all councils and agencies have agreed to share data to tackle this problem.”

Any council tenant wanting to hand back the keys to their property with no threat of legal action can simply put the keys in an envelope with the address of the property written on it and drop this into the reception area of their local housing office.