Westminster Council Recovers 13 Homes from Illegal Subletting

Westminster City Council has recovered 13 council homes between April and September 2024 as part of an intensified effort against housing fraud. The properties were found to be illegally sublet or abandoned by their tenants. The recovered homes are located in some of London’s most sought-after neighbourhoods, including Mayfair, Maida Vale, St John’s Wood, Paddington, Soho, and Pimlico.

The council's Corporate Anti-Fraud Service (CAFS) is actively managing 248 live cases. More than a third of these cases were initiated in the six months from April 1 to September 30, 2024, according to the local authority’s Mid-Year Counter Fraud Report. Tenancy fraud is identified as a significant risk, frequently comprising over 65% of the caseload for investigators.

Financial Impact of Fraudulent Tenancies

During the six-month reporting period, Westminster's anti-fraud team achieved 39 positive outcomes. These actions are estimated to have saved the council £476,430. Additionally, the service identified a notional loss of £336,915 resulting from fraudulent activities. The council stated that investigation methods can be resource-intensive, but CAFS continues to explore technological solutions and legislative powers to address tenancy fraud efficiently.

One notable prosecution involved Saeed Yasin Hosseini, who fraudulently obtained and sublet a council flat located near Buckingham Palace. Hosseini was initially granted a one-bedroom property in Jessel House, Page Street, in 2011. He subsequently rented out the flat while residing with his wife in north London. He was ordered to repay £500,000 after purchasing the Pimlico property through the Right to Buy scheme, which included a £100,000 discount.

The recovered properties included six one-bedroom flats, five two-bedroom flats, and two three-bedroom flats. The crackdown on tenancy fraud is a response to the financial strain placed on local authority budgets by the cost of housing homeless individuals in temporary accommodation.