Council-Provided Emergency Housing Illegally Sublet By Mum-Of-Three

Bromley Magistrates' Court

A mother-of-three, who was awarded free social housing, rented it out privately while claiming benefits at another address, a court heard.

Khrystal Miller-Hazelden, 32, received a smart terraced house in Humber Road, Blackheath, which the London Borough of Bromley rented from the Borough of Lewisham.

This was to provide emergency accommodation.

However, she moved out of the address and rented it to a private tenant for approximately £45,000 before she was exposed.

Meanwhile, Miller-Hazelden moved to an address in Whitehorse Road, Selhurst, where she claimed housing benefit to cover her rent.

Now living in Lloyd Avenue, Coulsdon she pleaded guilty at Bromley Magistrates’ Court to dishonestly sub-letting the Humber Road house between July 18, 2021 and January 24, last year.

The court heard Bromley Council are treating the housing benefit she claimed from them as rent arrears and Miller-Hazelden is repaying the money at a rate of £100 per month.

It will take her around twenty-five years to fully repay the money.

Miller-Hazelden claims she was in an “abusive relationship” at the time of the offence and her bank accounts were controlled by her violent partner - currently serving a seventeen-year prison sentence.

Two over her children are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, totalling £637 per month and Miller-Hazelden also currently receives £1100 per month in Universal Credit.

She receives £307 per month in Carers’ Allowance; £237 per month in child benefit and works one day a week at a nursery.

Miller-Hazelden claimed the rental income was just used for day-to-day living and she did not control the money coming in, with her bank card in the possession of her ex.

She told the court she has two bank accounts, one with a balance of £116 and the other 0.87p and the car she uses belongs to her sister.

“There has been a profit of forty-five thousand pounds to her bank account, a huge amount of money, plus thirty thousand pounds in Housing Benefit,” said District Judge Sarah Turnock.

“I have been told it has been spent on day-to-day living. That seems very unusual.”

The Housing Benefit paid for the Whitehorse Road property went directly to the landlord.

“Your case is complicated,” announced the judge, who made an Unlawful Profit Order’ for the sum of £13,000, which Miller-Hazelden will have to pay at the rate of £100 per month.

“Given how financially difficult it is for you to pay this back I am not going to order you to pay any costs.

“This will take just under eleven years to pay off and if it is not paid in full by 2037 interest will begin to accrue.

“If I had sentenced you to community service it would have taken away your child care responsibilities and any other work you find.”