Rod Stewart impersonator caught subletting his council flat

A Rod Stewart impersonator who was caught subletting his council flat has returned the property to Slough Borough Council.

The tenant was being investigated by benefit fraud officers who suspected he was living abroad while subletting the flat to a friend.

During an interview, he claimed he used the property as his main home, but after more enquiries, officers found he spent most of his time out of the UK working as a Rod Stewart tribute act.

At another interview he accepted he was letting a friend use the flat and did not use it himself, so he gave the property back.

About two or three properties are being recovered by the council per month.

Cllr Sohail Munawar, commissioner for social and economic inclusion, said: "With such a high demand and long waiting lists for council properties in Slough, it is more important than ever that we crack down on people abusing the system and re-allocate the properties to those who are genuinely entitled."

The council's housing investigations officer, Jon Moores, also caught out a tenant who sublet his flat to a young woman who he claimed was his niece who visited occasionally.

He refused to admit illegally subletting the flat, even after enquiries showed he was living with his new partner at another address, but he did empty the property and return the keys to the council.

Former police officer Jon added: "These two cases reiterate the more specific information I can obtain about tenants who are subletting, the easier it becomes to persuade them to return the property, without the need to take legal action."

Do you suspect someone you know of allowing someone else to use their council property? Call the fraud hotline confidentially on 01753 787876.