Houghton Regis man pleads guilty to council tax fraud after failing to declare a second home

A Houghton Regis man who provided false information by failing to declare a second property and capital, has been fined at Luton Magistrate’s Court.

Khalid Chaba, 48, of Fieldstone, Houghton Regis, claimed a council tax reduction for periods during August 2019 to March 2022.

However, he failed to declare that he owned a second property in Middlesex and also had capital substantially in excess of the prescribed limit of £16,000 in a bank account.

Mr Chaba fraudulently claimed a reduction of £3,434.11 in his council tax that he would not have received, had he made the council aware of the second property and the capital held in his bank account.

Having pleaded guilty, he was ordered to pay £1,854.50 for costs, a fine and a victim surcharge, when he appeared before magistrates on August 19.

In addition to the prosecution, he was required to repay the council tax reduction he falsely obtained.

Executive Member for Corporate Resources, Cllr David Shelvey, said: “People like this, who try to fraudulently abuse the system for their own financial gain are putting their own greed ahead of the needs of vulnerable people. Cases like this show that we can catch these fraudsters and we will pursue them.”