City Gate Fraudster Sentenced For Illegal Lettings

A MAN who twice rented out a repossessed flat, defrauding victims out of thousands of pounds, has been sentenced. 

He moved into the flat on 12 June 2011. Four days later he returned home and found the locks had been changed.

Arfan Sardar (02/03/1979), of Blantyre Street, Manchester, admitted fraud offences at an earlier hearing. 

At Manchester Crown Court Crown Square today, Thursday 16 February 2012, he was given a 12 month in prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work. 

On 11 May 2011, two foreign students responded to a rental ad on a website for an apartment at City Gate, Blantyre Street, Manchester. 

After viewing the apartment, they were told by an estate agent that the landlord had agreed to lower the rent and the pair met Sardar at a car park on Deansgate. 

Sardar offered a lower rent if paid in advance and the pair agreed a nine-month lease. 

They paid a total of £5,500 to Sardar and moved into the apartment on 15 May 2011, with Sardar even helping them with their belongings. 

On 19 May 2011, the students returned home to find the locks changed and a repossession notice on the door that required them to be out of the apartment within 14 days. 

They contacted the estate agents who had initially advertised the apartment and were told it had been repossessed three days earlier. 

On 23 May 2011, a man responded to an advert on a website and was put in contact with Sardar. 

He paid a deposit and viewed the same apartment two days later. He again agreed a nine month lease and paid Sardar £5,425. 

The man moved into the flat on 12 June 2011. Four days later he returned home and found the locks had been changed. Again there was a repossession notice telling him he needed to move out within 14 days. 

Police Constable David Crowley, of the Neighbourhood Support Team, said: “Sardar knew the flat was in the process of being repossessed when he let it to two foreign students and then, knowing it had been repossessed, went on to rent it to the third victim. 

“He ripped off three unsuspected victims simply to make a quick buck. 

“All three were not only left significantly out of pocket but effectively homeless. The third victim even lost his job in Manchester because he could not afford to rent anywhere else.”