Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Property Industry Eye. Read the original article for full details.
Norfolk Estate Agent Admits £47,685 Fraud Against Landlords and Tenants
A Norfolk estate agent has admitted to defrauding landlords and tenants of almost £50,000 over a seven-year period. Victoria Steele, 51, pleaded guilty at Norwich Crown Court to 19 counts of fraud by false representation related to her operation of the Swaffham-based estate and lettings agency eHomes.
The charges followed complaints from landlords who reported not receiving rent owed to them, and tenants who alleged their deposits were not protected in a tenancy deposit scheme as required by law. Police began investigating in 2018 after around 40 individuals and organisations reported losses to Norfolk Police and Action Fraud.
Those affected included private landlords, a landlord recovering from cancer, and a Methodist church. The offences took place between November 2011 and June 2018, during which time Steele was the director and sole shareholder of eHomes, previously known as Prestige Properties Limited. The court heard that victims lost varying sums, with some losing more than £4,100. The total amount involved was £47,685.
Steele, of Holme Hale near Necton, admitted to dishonestly obtaining funds for personal gain. She is due to be sentenced on 1 September. eHomes ceased trading in 2018 and was wound up the following year.
Source: Property Industry Eye