Benefit fraud is a very common problem and one that regularly hits the
headlines most days. There are hundreds of people out there who think its OK
to claim benefits whilst enjoying a secret income, but in the case of one
dishonest landlord, benefit fraud investigators eventually discovered his
secret stash of cash and buy to let property.
Landlord Benefit Fraud
A landlord in Manchester was recently convicted of fraudulently claiming
around £32k in benefits, despite having made nearly £60k when he sold a
property. He managed to get around the problem of too much cash in the bank by
squirreling away his profits in a friend’s bank account. He was also found to
be the owner of a buy to let home worth around £47k. He has now been ordered
to sell the rental home and use the money to repay some of his debts.
Landlord Fire Safety Fines
In another case before the courts, a landlord in London has been ordered to
pay a total of £24,250 in fines and costs for failing to ensure his HMOs meet
fire safety standards. He had also not bothered securing any HMO licenses for
his properties and Welwyn Council was quick to prosecute. They are clearly on
a roll because this case was the council’s third success in the last six
months, so landlords in North London better pull up their socks and make sure
their properties are legal.
Most reputable landlords never need to worry about court appearances because
they do everything by the book, but if you are a dodgy landlord, remember:
crime never pays!
