Private sector landlords in Newham were targeted by a con man who said  he had to carry out proper safety checks on their rented properties. He was finally brought to justice and landed with a two and a half year sentence.

He went after landlords that had said they could be interested in joining Newham Council's approved landlords scheme.

 

The court heard that the fraudster approached three landlords in 2010 and 2011 telling them he was an official employee of the council and that he had to carry out the necessary safety checks before he could authorise safety certificates. The landlords were told that the certificates were required to be issued before they could rent their properties out to homeless families.

The con man then charged the landlords building work that he deemed necessary and for the gas and electricity safety certificates as well as for testing the energy performance.

The landlords complained to the council as they were unconvinced that the building work was necessary and the trading standards and internal audit teams carried out on investigation.

 

The con man received his conviction on three charges under the Fraud Act 2006, he denied the allegations and said he had not tried to "pass himself off" as a council employee.

When sentencing, Judge Usha Karu said his actions were a  “calculated fraud” that had caused the “erosion of public confidence in the local authority”.

Councillor Andrew Baikie, executive member for housing and customer services, said: “We do not tolerate fraud under any circumstances, but especially when it is committed in the name of the council and erodes public confidence in the good work we do. We will have no hesitation in prosecuting those we suspect of doing so.”