The Guardian
When Hajaj Hajaj decided to rent out his house in south London in the summer of 2020, his daughter, Kinda Jackson, urged him to use a reputable lettings agent for peace of mind. Her father had enough on his plate. Hajaj, a 79-year-old retired garage owner, is the primary carer for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease. The income from the rental property in Lewisham is effectively Hajaj’s pension, which he uses to pay for her care.
So, when a manager from Imperial Property Group contacted Hajaj about his Gumtree listing, Hajaj arranged to meet them. A sharp-suited British Asian man named Shan Miah arrived in a sports car. He was in his late 20s or early 30s, charming and confident. He boasted of his business interests in Dubai. “He was doing very well for himself,” Hajaj says.
Miah explained that Imperial was different from other lettings agencies. A company of 70 years standing, Imperial had four London offices, employing 121 people, and had sold or rented 83,000 properties, according to its website. It specialised in corporate lets to NHS staff and IT consultants. Imperial would manage the property, dealing with tenants and paying for repairs. Should the tenants leave early, Imperial would cover their rent.
it gets more more and more and more depressing
