A £22,500 bill has been issued to a couple who retained a council home despite purchasing a five-bedroom house in South London. Uchenna and Nkeiruka Nzekwe acquired a mortgage-free property in Croydon while also being given a council home on Fir Trees Close, SE16, in June 2021. An investigation by Southwark Council revealed that the council property was not occupied by the Nzekwes but by extended family members.
During an interview in February 2024, Mr. Nzekwe acknowledged that his family utilized both residences, asserting that the Croydon home was held in trust for his daughter and therefore did not need to be disclosed. Despite being warned of potential legal action for not surrendering the tenancy, the couple failed to provide a formal defense, leading to the court preventing them from doing so.
Subsequently, on October 1, Clerkenwell and Shoreditch County Court granted possession of the Fir Trees Close property to Southwark Council. The couple was instructed to vacate within 14 days or face eviction by court bailiffs, in addition to being ordered to pay over £6,000 for occupation charges and £16,500 towards the council’s legal expenses.
Councillor Michael Situ, Southwark’s Cabinet Member for Housing, emphasized the detrimental impact of tenancy fraud on those genuinely in need of council housing. He highlighted the council’s commitment to investigating and taking action against tenancy fraud perpetrators, cautioning that offenders risk losing their council homes and facing legal repercussions.
Residents were encouraged to report any suspected tenancy fraud anonymously to safeguard council housing for those who require it. Southwark Council reiterated its strict stance against all forms of fraud, noting that its Housing Investigation Team has identified tenancy fraud amounting to over £1.5 million since April 2025.