A Wolverhampton council tenant, has been issued a community order by Dudley Magistrates Court for attempting to act as a private landlord and sub-letting his one-bedroom flat, was charged under Section 1(2)(a) of the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013, Meggoe initially maintained his innocence.

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Meggoe had lived in his Castlecroft property for six years before unlawfully sub-letting it. He masqueraded as a private landlord, drafting a tenancy agreement and charging a monthly rent of £575.

An investigation by the local council was launched after social housing provider Wolverhampton Homes discovered the illegal sub-letting and Isaac Meggoe immediately  took action by unlawfully evicting his sub-tenant on December 21, 2023, leaving them homeless and unable to retrieve their belongings.

Fraud investigators told the court that Meggoe had staged the property to appear that he was living there during home visits from Wolverhampton Homes and he had even attempted to  apply for the Right to Buy scheme, which would have granted him a 64% discount on the purchase of the property.

When sentencing Meggoe , District Judge Michael Wheeler told him : “You took the opportunity to sublet the flat to make a profit and it was clearly premeditated. You clearly put on a sham that you were still living at the property when visits were carried out all of which were aggravating features.

“Your case was hopeless, and you should have pleaded guilty earlier to save public money, therefore you will get no credit.”

The rogue tenant has been sentenced to a 12-month community order requiring him to complete 180 hours of unpaid work. He has also been ordered to pay £2,768 in costs, £1,540 in compensation within 28 days, and a victim surcharge of £114.