Isaac Meggoe appeared before Dudley Magistrates Court in November and admitted 1 count of dishonesty, contrary to Section 1(2)(a) of the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013.
The court heard Meggoe had sub-let the one bedroom flat in Castlecroft, posing as a private landlord, providing a tenancy agreement and charging £575 per month rent.
When the sub-letting came to the attention of Wolverhampton Homes, an investigation by the council’s Counter Fraud Team commenced which also found that he had applied through the Right to Buy scheme to purchase the property.
Meggoe was sentenced to a 12 month community order to complete 180 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay costs of £2,768 and compensation of £1,540 within 28 days, plus a victim surcharge of £114.
The Right to Buy application has also been denied and the keys to the property have now been returned, meaning it can now be re-let to an applicant from the waiting list who is in genuine need of housing.
Councillor Louise Miles, the council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: "The City of Wolverhampton Council operates a zero tolerance policy on fraud and we will not hesitate to take action as appropriate - because we know that every pound saved from fraud is a pound that can be invested in vital public services.
“We are pleased that not only has this individual been convicted of dishonesty and that a Right to Buy application has been prevented, but that the property he was letting out as a sham landlord has been returned to the city’s social housing stock and will be made available to a much more deserving individual or family in due course.”
