People who are not living in their council-owned homes or who are illegally sub-letting them are being urged to take advantage of an amnesty.

Tenants of Cornwall Council and Cornwall Housing are being contacted to let them know about the amnesty taking place during January and February which gives people the opportunity to hand back their keys.

The amnesty allows anyone not living in their council home or illegally sub-letting it to hand back their keys rather than face possible criminal investigation and potential legal action.

Illegal sub-letting happens when a council home is let to a tenant and that tenant then moves out and illegally lets the property to someone else – usually at a higher rent.

Anyone who is illegally sub-letting or is not living in their council home can hand back their keys to the tenancy fraud team, a local housing officer or a housing office.