Hayes man jailed for faking student status to avoid council tax

Vishal Kumar Gandhi, 40, of Hayes, has been sentenced for defrauding Hillingdon Council of £14,500 by pretending to be a student for over a decade. He falsified documents to claim student status from 2013 to 2025, avoiding council tax payments during that period.

Gandhi completed his education in 2013 at the London School of Business and Finance. Despite finishing his studies, he continued to submit counterfeit student certificates, which allowed him to evade his council tax obligations to Hillingdon Council for 12 years.

Court Sentence and Repayments

In May last year, Gandhi admitted to the crime during an interview under caution. He appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on October 27, where he pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for the duration of the sentence.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Gandhi was ordered to repay the full £14,500 in council tax he evaded. He must also pay £8,970.52 towards Hillingdon Council's prosecution costs. Furthermore, he is required to complete 140 hours of unpaid community work.

The court heard that Gandhi was remorseful for his actions and had already begun repaying the outstanding council tax before his sentencing.

Council's Response

Councillor Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, stated that the fraud was a sustained effort over several years. He expressed satisfaction that the offender had been brought to justice. Cllr Lavery emphasised that council tax exemptions are intended for those in genuine need and that abusing the system harms public funds and diverts resources from legitimate claims.

He added that the council would continue to pursue the strongest legal actions against those who commit fraud and seek to gain an unfair advantage, recovering costs wherever possible.