A man who used falsified student certificates to claim more than £14,500 in council tax exemptions has been given a suspended prison sentence, ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work and is repaying the full amount, following an investigation by Hillingdon Council.
Vishal Kumar Gandhi, 40, from Hayes, was sentenced at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 27 October after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation and possessing an article for use in fraud under the Fraud Act at a hearing on 15 September at the same court.
Gandhi was sentenced to 24 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, given an alcohol monitoring requirement, ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work and pay a £154 victim surcharge and the council's £8,970.52 prosecution costs, totalling £9,124.52.
The council uncovered the offences during a counter fraud review of properties receiving student exemptions, which examined how long these had been claimed for and identified inconsistencies in the supporting certificates.
Gandhi provided false information and submitted counterfeit student documentation to repeatedly claim that he and other occupants of a property in Ashford Avenue, Hayes were full-time students between May 2013 and March 2025, despite completing his education in 2013.
A series of student certificates were provided by Gandhi to support claims for a full council tax exemption. The total value of student discounts, applied between 2013 and 2025 was £14,526.86.
Further investigation by the council’s counter fraud team and enquiries with the education provider established that Gandhi had attended the London School of Business and Finance between 27 September 2011 and 9 May 2013.
During an interview under caution in May last year, Gandhi admitted providing dishonest information and submitting false student certificates to the council. He also admitted to using another person's name to obtain a full council tax exemption.
The court heard that Gandhi was remorseful and had already been repaying the amount owed to the council well in advance of his court appearance.
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “This was a concerted and sustained fraud spanning several years and I’m delighted that this offender has been brought to justice.
“Council tax exemptions exist to provide valuable protection and the necessary additional support for those who need it the most. Cynically abusing the system by deception damages the public purse and wastes valuable time that could have been spent processing legitimate claims.
"The council will continue to take the toughest action the law allows against those who abuse the system and seek to gain an advantage by fraud, and where possible, recover the costs.”
If you suspect someone of committing fraud against the council, you can report it at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/report-fraud.