17 - Landlord prosecuted for benefit fraud

Archived news release from 2008

Landlord Budu Singh Moman, aged 47, of High Road, Wood Green, London, pleaded guilty at Dudley Magistrates Court to benefit fraud on October 3.

He was handed a 12-month community order to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work in the community and ordered to repay all the debt along with the council's £295 costs.

 

His actions were uncovered when computerised data matching between different government databases revealed Moman, the owner of a property in Blenheim Road, Kingswinford, was receiving housing benefit for one of his tenants at both the Kingswinford address and at another property he owned in London.

From November 2006 to February 2007, Moman fraudulently received £952 from Dudley Council.

Councillor Anne Millward, cabinet member for finance, said:
“There are no exceptions – any attempt to steal taxpayers’ money is taken very seriously.  Landlords must report changes in their tenants’ circumstances to the council as failure to do so may result in a criminal record.”

Residents should report cases of suspected fraud, in confidence, to the council’s benefit fraud investigation team 24-hour hotline on 01384 815635, or by using the online form on the council’s website www.dudley.gov.uk