Landlord and his partner gave false information about relationship

Added 26.06.09

A landlord who gave misleading information to help his partner claim an overpayment in benefits to the tune of nearly £25,000 was ordered before magistrates recently.

Mohammed Abul Khayer was caught in a major crackdown on benefit fraudsters by Luton Council that has now resulted in 22 local residents being prosecuted.

Khayer and Rezwana Nehar, both aged 29, of Ellerdine Close in Luton both pleaded guilty at Luton Magistrates Court recently to giving the Council false and misleading information while claiming housing and council tax benefit, resulting in overpayments of £24,770.

Nehar failed to declare on several of her claim forms that she and her children were related to their landlord Khayer.

To support the deception Khayer, acting as his partner’s landlord, provided written documentation to the Council supporting the benefit applications but deliberately missed off his surname to hide the family connection.

Housing benefit regulations say that individuals and their children who are related to their landlord are not entitled to receive housing benefit payments.

Nehar was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and a 3 month curfew from 8pm to 7am. She was also ordered to pay £250 towards Council costs.

Khayer was sentenced to a Community Order including 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £250 towards Council costs.

Paul Taylor, Investigations Manager, said: “The Council welcomes the sentencing in all these cases and we are now seeking to recover the overpayment of benefits through civil procedures. The public benefits system is there for those who really need it, not for fraudsters.”

News feed courtesy of Residential Landlord