Council tenant pleads guilty to subletting home on Airbnb

Council tenant pleads guilty to subletting home on Airbnb

0:03 AM, 27th August 2024, About An hour ago

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A council flat tenant has admitted to unlawfully subletting his home by advertising the property for rent on Airbnb.

Reza Sherafaty, 39, pleaded guilty to three counts of tenancy fraud at Birmingham Magistrates Court on August 15.

The court heard that Birmingham City Council discovered Sherafaty had rented out the council home in Selly Oak for 158 nights, earning £8,127.27 in rental fees.

Property listed as a private house

The council obtained a court order to access Airbnb records and found photographs of the property listed as a ‘lovely entire private house with private parking’.

Sherafaty agreed to pay back the full value of the fraud and legal costs of nearly £13,000.

He has also signed a notice to quit his tenancy and return the property before a court hearing in October.

‘Subletting our homes and depriving a family’

Birmingham Council’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness, Councillor Jayne Francis, said: “Subletting our homes and depriving a family actually in need is illegal, and we will not tolerate it.

“There is a significant shortage of homes in Birmingham, with 25,000 people on the housing register in Birmingham waiting for one.

“For many families in the city and across the country, the reality is that many are enduring difficult circumstances and facing years-long waits for a home.”

She added: “We will not hesitate to conduct investigations and take action to ensure these homes are given to families in need.”

The council is also urging residents to report any suspected cases of council home subletting through their Report a Fraud service.


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