A prolific scammer is facing jail for a string of property fraud offences in Luton. Moses Ogoe has pleaded guilty to six charges of rent-to-rent fraud, whereby he rented several large properties under false pretences and proceeded to sub-let them to multiple tenants.
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Rent-to-rent Fraud
Rent-to-rent fraud is becoming increasingly common in areas of high demand. Some landlords are unaware of the current market value of their properties and happily let them out to scammers, who then sub-let for a profit. Taking a large property and illegally sub-dividing it into bedsits or separate flats is a quick way to make a big profit. The problem is, fraudsters don’t care about the safety of their tenants or seek permission to do the conversion. Instead they pocket the money from vulnerable tenants and do a runner if the landlord or authorities get wind of what’s going on.
Renting Homes under False Pretences
Moses Ogoe was a security guard, but using false documentation he convinced various landlords he was a doctor, a catering manager and a security manager so they would offer him a tenancy.
Judge Kay QC was not sympathetic:
“You saw an opportunity to rent relatively sizable properties and sublet them to desperate individuals who needed somewhere to live. You were not providing a public service because you did this for greed. You defrauded them as you did not provide a genuine tenancy and the protection that would give”.
Ogoe has been sentenced to 16 months in prison and fined £7,500.