A government crackdown on cheating state housing tenants has led to 241 tenancies being cancelled over the past year.
Housing New Zealand investigations into tenancies revealed tenants obtaining state houses or taxpayer subsidised rent despite lying about their circumstances.
Deceptions have included failing to advise about income from employment, business interests, assets, living with a partner, or subletting the tenancy.
There were eight lease terminations in the southern district, which takes in the area south of Ashburton. However, HNZ was unable to provide details of those terminations last night.
Figures released by the corporation for the southern district showed debt was established in nine cases and three tenants had been ordered to pay a total of $103,484 reparation.
HNZ has successfully prosecuted 119 tenants nationally for fraud since July last year and established $6.6 million in Crown debts for overpaid rent subsidies.
It has reclaimed nearly 400 state houses and established $13.7 million in overpaid rent subsidy debt over the past three years.
The tenancy cancellations included a tenant who obtained a state house in 2000 and was later found to own two properties.
"The state housing system is designed to help people in their time of need. It's unfair and unacceptable for people to abuse the system and commit fraud to get benefits they are not entitled to.
People who deliberately rip-off the system deprive families in real need," Housing Minister Phil Heatley said yesterday.
"By freeing up 241 homes in the last 12 months, and 397 over the last three years, the corporation is able to help a significant number of people on the waiting list who have a desperate and genuine need for a state house."
