Westminster tenant ordered to repay £494,415 for housing fraud
Saeed Yasin Hosseini illegally sublet a Pimlico council flat and received a Right to Buy discount under false pretences.
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Both sources cite Westminster City Council's Anti-Fraud service and Southwark Crown Court, with one quoting a named councillor.
Higher is stronger
Both articles clearly separate fact from comment, provide specific details, and explain the consequences for the resident.
Higher is stronger
Headlines use strong language like 'fraudster' and 'near Buckingham Palace' but the body of the articles is factual.
Lower is better
Saeed Yasin Hosseini has been ordered to repay £494,415.52 to Westminster City Council after a fraud investigation found he illegally sublet a council property in Pimlico. The sum must be repaid within three months.
Fraudulent acquisition and subletting
Former tenant ordered to pay £494k for council flat fraud
Westminster City Council secured a Confiscation Order against Saeed Yasin Hosseini for illegal subletting and fraud.
Hosseini was initially allocated a one-bedroom flat in Jessel House, Page Street, in 2011. At the time, he claimed to be single and living in his parents' temporary accommodation. However, an investigation by Westminster City Council revealed he was actually living with his wife in a property she owned in Enfield, North London.
Between 2013 and 2014, Hosseini illegally rented out the Pimlico flat for £650 per month. The property is located in a mansion block a short walk from Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.
Right to Buy discount and contempt of court
Westminster residents invited to free Silver Sunday film and tea
An afternoon of film, tea, and a raffle will be held on Sunday, 4 October 2026, at two locations in Pimlico.
Following his conviction for three counts of fraud in 2023, Westminster City Council initiated Proceeds of Crime proceedings. These proceedings concluded at Southwark Crown Court, resulting in the order for Hosseini to repay the substantial sum. He had also purchased the flat under the Right to Buy scheme, receiving a £100,000 discount on the sale price.
In addition to the repayment order, Hosseini pleaded guilty to contempt of court. This charge arose from his dispersal of funds from seven bank and credit card accounts, which breached a restraint order issued by the court in 2020. He received a seven months and two weeks sentence, suspended for one year, for this offence.
This is a truly shocking case of someone deliberately and repeatedly cheating the system for their own personal gain. Council accommodation is a vital resource, intended to provide safe and secure homes for people who genuinely need them.
Councillor Caroline Sargent, cabinet member for enforcement
Councillor Caroline Sargent, cabinet member for enforcement at Westminster City Council, stated that Hosseini had gone to great lengths to defraud council resources and taxpayers' money, and had also ignored previous court orders. She commended the work of the council's Anti-Fraud service and expressed hope that the penalties would deter others from abusing the system.
Council's fraud investigations
Westminster City Council has intensified its efforts to investigate housing and tenancy fraud. Over a 12-month period, the council's Corporate Anti-Fraud Service identified over £1 million in fraud. Tenancy, housing, and right-to-buy fraud were reported as the most common types, with 182 live cases. Parking and blue badge fraud followed, with 116 live cases.
Questions this report answers
+How much does Saeed Yasin Hosseini have to repay?
Saeed Yasin Hosseini has been ordered to repay £494,415.52 to Westminster City Council. This sum must be paid within the next three months as part of Proceeds of Crime proceedings.
+How did Saeed Yasin Hosseini obtain the council flat?
Hosseini obtained the flat in 2011 by falsely claiming he was single and living in temporary accommodation. In reality, he was living with his wife in a property she owned.
+What other offences did Saeed Yasin Hosseini commit?
He illegally sublet the Pimlico flat between 2013 and 2014 for £650 per month. He also pleaded guilty to contempt of court for dispersing funds in breach of a restraint order.
+What action is Westminster City Council taking against housing fraud?
Westminster City Council has increased its investigations into housing and tenancy fraud. The Corporate Anti-Fraud Service identified over £1 million in fraud in a recent 12-month period, with tenancy and right-to-buy fraud being the most common.
News London Desk
This article was written at the News London news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
How stories are produced and scoredWho runs News LondonCorrections
The London Ledger
A considered capital-wide edit delivered each morning.
More Coverage in Council & Politics
Former tenant ordered to pay £494k for council flat fraud
Westminster residents invited to free Silver Sunday film and tea
Ealing Council faulted over mother and baby complaint process
