Fake landlord spends festive season in prison
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
10/01/2008
A fake landlord spent the festive season in prison for passing off a council property as his own.
Mr Nader Khalili was a tenant at Emlyn Gardens, W12, when he decided to fraudulently rent it out through Ludlow Thompson Letting Agents in Acton.
Unsuspectingly, Mrs Juliet Mitchell paid six months rent in advance and a deposit totalling £5,975 to live in the property but became suspicious when the agents could not find proof that the property was on leasehold.
When Mrs Mitchell went to register for council tax she was informed that a council tenant was living at the property. Mrs Mitchell then served her notice and demanded her money back from the agent. Smarting from being caught out, Mr Khalili broke into the property while Mrs Mitchell was at work and took a number of her belongings.
The council’s tenancy relations officer was alerted and following a detailed investigation took Mr Khalili to court. He was sentenced to two months in jail for illegal eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 - a sentence considered to be appropriate by the council. He appealed against the decision but it was thrown out by His Honour Judge Taylor at Blackfriars Crown Court. The council has now been granted possession of the property.
Cllr Adronie Alford, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “The council has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to fraud and I am delighted that the judge threw out Mr Khalili’s appeal. We will simply not tolerate fraudulent behaviour in Hammersmith & Fulham and I hope that this case will act as a strong deterrent to anyone who is considering acting in such a manner. The council’s housing stock is very limited and such fraud deprives households in genuine need from accessing accommodation to which they are entitled.”
