A clergyman has finally regained possession of his Luton home nearly four years after it was sold without his knowledge, following the eviction of a family living there.
Mike Hall discovered in 2021 that an identity thief had sold his property for £131,000 while he was working in Wales. Upon returning to Luton, he found a stranger living in his home and conducting renovations.
“I tried my key in the front door, it didn’t work, and a man opened the front door to me. The shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture, everything was out of the property,” he recalled.
The house had been stolen using a fake driving licence used to impersonate Mr Hall, and a bank account set up in his name to receive the proceeds of the sale. Solicitors had been instructed to sell the property over the phone.
Despite having his name restored on the Land Registry, Mr Hall was stunned to find someone else occupying his home during a subsequent visit in 2023. After going through legal proceedings, Luton County Court Judge Elaine Vignoli ruled in Mr Hall’s favour, granting him full possession of the property within 14 days.
Mr Hall expressed mixed feelings about the situation, saying he was “quite angry” about the ordeal and felt “quite sad” for the family who had been living there.
His lawyer, Lewis Colbourne, pointed out that the occupants were “two innocent parties in court.” They had been misled by a bogus rental agreement and were informed by the police 18 months prior that their rent payments were not benefiting Mr Hall. The judge acknowledged the ongoing investigation into the fraudulent sale and noted that those responsible must cover Mr. Hall’s legal costs. Reflecting on the situation, Mr Hall said he was “quite sad” that the occupants now has to find a new home.