Letting agent Linda Murray had been the sole director of Let Me Lettings, but was accused by Wigan Council of fraud. The business charged landlords for services such as managing their properties and taking tenant deposits, which should have been kept within an authorised deposit protection scheme.
However, the money was not placed in any such schemes, with Murray faking documents to hoodwink landlords about whether the money was protected.
The deposits were then not returned to the landlord or the tenant at the end of the tenancy, with around £6,500 lost across nine properties.
Letting agent Murray was accused of trying to dissolve the business when these losses emerged, but was prevented from doing so by Wigan Council.
Letting agent receives 20-moth sentence
Murray pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006.
She was given a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, as well as being disqualified from being a company director for seven years. In addition she will have to pay compensation of £3,660.
Councillor Dan Anderton, lead member for civil contingencies at Wigan Council, said that landlords and tenants deserve to know that their deposits are being properly protected, and pledged that the trading standards team would continue to be “proactive in tackling illegal activity in our borough”.
