Man whose house was 'stolen' gets possession back
A reverend whose house was sold without him knowing has had the property returned to him nearly four years on, after a family was ordered to leave.
Rev Mike Hall returned to his Luton home from Wales in 2021 to find someone impersonating him had sold it on for £131,000, after his identity was stolen.
The Land Registry accepted fault and put his name back on the title, but when he returned again in 2023 he found a family living there.
At Luton County Court on Monday, Judge Elaine Vignoli granted Mr Hall outright possession of the home in 14 days.
Mr Hall said he was "quite angry about the way in which this has played out", and "quite sad" for both himself and the family living there.
While working in north Wales in 2021, Mr Hall was alerted by neighbours that someone was in his house and all the lights were on.
Mr Hall drove back to Luton and found a new owner carrying out building work.
"I tried my key in the front door, it didn't work and a man opened the front door to me - and the shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture, everything was out of the property," he said.
BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme obtained the driving licence used to impersonate Mr Hall, details of a bank account set up in his name to receive the proceeds of the sale, and phone recordings of a man claiming to be Mr Hall instructing solicitors to sell the house.
After he reclaimed ownership two years later, a BBC reporter visited the home and spoke to a man and a woman with a young child who had a bogus rental contract.
Mr Hall went to Luton County Court to take possession of the home once more. A woman, following proceedings through a Romanian interpreter, and a child also attended.
Mr Hall's lawyer, Lewis Colbourne, said there were "two innocent parties in court".
The occupants had been told by police 18 months ago to stop paying rent, which did not go to Mr Hall, and the judge heard an investigation remained ongoing.
The court was told the occupants did not oppose the application and the judge granted Mr Hall possession and that "persons unknown" must pay his costs.
Mr Hall said: "I am quite sad that the [woman] has now got to find a new home for herself."
You can listen to the full interview with Mr Hall on Radio 4's You and Yours at 12:00 GMT on Wednesday.
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