A reverend from Luton, Rev Mike Hall, recently had an ordeal involving his home that lasted nearly four years. In 2021, he returned from Wales to find out that his house had been sold without his knowledge. This came after his identity had been stolen, and someone had impersonated him to sell the property for £131,000. Despite efforts by the Land Registry to rectify the situation by putting his name back on the title, Mr Hall faced another challenge in 2023 when he discovered a family living in his home.
Following this shocking discovery, Mr Hall took legal action and eventually found himself in Luton County Court where Judge Elaine Vignoli granted him outright possession of the property in 14 days. Expressing his emotions on the matter, Mr Hall mentioned feeling anger and sadness over the entire situation – both for himself and the family living in his house. The complexity of the case was further highlighted by the fact that the family had been living there for some time, under the belief that they were legitimate occupants.
Despite the distressing turn of events, Mr Hall shared details of how he first learned of the situation while working in north Wales. Neighbours alerted him to someone being in the house, prompting his return to Luton where he found a stranger carrying out renovations. Subsequent investigations revealed the extent of the deception, including a fake rental contract and fraudulent financial transactions carried out in his name. The entire ordeal was documented by BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours program, shedding light on the layers of deceit that Mr Hall had to unravel.
As the legal proceedings unfolded in Luton County Court, Mr Hall and his lawyer found themselves faced with a complex situation involving multiple parties. The occupants, who had been previously advised by the police to stop paying rent, were present during the court proceedings. Despite the challenging circumstances, the judge ruled in favor of Mr Hall, granting him possession of the property while ordering unknown parties to cover his legal costs. In the midst of the legal victories, Mr Hall expressed a sense of sadness for the woman who now had to seek a new place to call home
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
