A benefits cheat who owned 26 homes worth £2.6 million whilst fleecing benefits, was jailed for 12 months.

The landlord told the council that she was an unemployed single mother and illegally claimed nearly £74,000 of benefits over the last ten years.

At the recent court hearing that took place in Snaresbrook Crown Court from information provided by the prosecution, showed that the woman earned nearly £150,000 per year from renting out the 26 homes.

The properties that she owned were in Canterbury, Gravesend, Greenhithe, Hartlepool and Herne Bay and ironically some of the homes were leased by Gravesham Council in Kent.

The council only found out about her when they undertook investigations of her brother who had stopped paying council tax.

It came to light that she had bought 18 homes from her brother after the council took possession of a mountain of documents, seized from her home in Ilford. These contained tenancy agreements and bank statements.

The landlord had told mortgage lenders that her yearly earnings whilst working for a property firm was £69, 200, at the same time informing the council that she was jobless. She claimed for £67,819 in housing benefits and £6,118 council tax allowances.

She told police that the homes were set up in a trust for family members, there was no documentation to back her claim up.

She then changed her story and said that her brother's 18 properties had been transferred to her, as he was too ill to properly manage them. 

In court the woman denied all charges of five counts of fraud but was found guilty and subsequently jailed this month.