Landlord was given £131k after scheme con

A crooked landlord exploited a scheme to help first-time buyers by conning the Scottish Government into handing him nearly £50,000.

- GORDON CURRIE

Fraudster Raza Hussain also duped a bank into giving him another £80,000 so he could add to a portfolio of properties he was renting out for profit.

Perth Sheriff Court heard how the father-of-two was living with his parents when he obtained a total of £131,100 by fraud to buy a property in Perth.

Fiscal depute Emma Farmer told the court that Hussain identified the Scottish Government's “Lift” scheme as a way of getting funds he was not entitled to.

The scheme was limited to first-time buyers to let people get on the property ladder, but Hussain was not eligible because he already owned a home in Aberdeen.

The Scottish Government granted him a £48,300 loan after he falsely filled in forms denying he already owned other property.

Hussain conned the Nationwide Building Society into granting him a further loan of £82,800 to purchase 37 Glengarry Road in Perth.