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[CLKD]

An Airbnb host who rented out his central London council flat to tourists has been fined £100,000 and evicted.

Council tenant Toby Harman, 37, created the fake identity "Lara" on Airbnb to rent out his studio apartment.

The flat, in Victoria, had been advertised since 2013 and received more than 300 reviews, Westminster City Council said.

Anti-fraud software had found Harman's first name in reviews and connected the listing to him.  Harman's bank statements showed he had been receiving payments from Airbnb for a number of years.

He had been taken to court and, after a failed appeal, evicted and ordered to pay £100,974 in unlawful profits, the Times reported.

[Sparrow]

It's terrible, especially as he was depriving someone in need of a home.

However all types of benefit fraud pale into insignificance when compared to tax fraud and evasion by the wealthy.  That includes our political class as well of course. 

[CLKD]

Wonder where he was living whilst sub-letting  . He was wealthy until the Law caught up with him!


Westminster Council said it was currently investigating at least 1,500 properties in the borough for short-term letting.

"Social housing is there to provide much-needed homes for our residents, not to generate illicit profits for dishonest tenants," the council's Andrew Smith said.

"It's illegal for council tenants to sublet their homes and we carry out tenancy checks, as well as monitoring short-term letting websites for any potential illegal sublets."

[katsclaws]

I watched a BBC programme a couple of years ago about people claiming housing benefit but letting out their homes whilst living with relatives or elsewhere. One even worked for a housing department (although not for the council where her property was ). The amount of fraud was amazing.

[Sparrow]

Unfortunately people who set about to deliberately defraud, for large amounts, are rarely caught.  On the other hand people in real need who make genuine mistakes, such as not reporting changes in circumstances, however small, are caught straight away. They are then harshly penalised when they can least afford it.

My son had a meeting with his bank manager today.  She is helping his quest to get several thousands of pounds he is owed by HMRC.  This has been going on for about four years.

Crooks aren't always who you think they are