A tenant who claimed she had cancer and masqueraded as a private landlord to swindle would-be tenants out of rental deposits, has been jailed.

Natalie Chamberlain, 40, (main picture, inset) was known to operate under a string of aliases, Hendon Crown Court heard, and agreed to rent a property in Sheringham in December 2022, telling the landlord that she had stage three stomach cancer.

She then sublet the property to two other tenants - both of whom thought they were the sole occupants - pocketing their deposit and initial rental payments, ITV News reports.

Chamberlain admitted nine charges related to tenancy fraud and faking documents in Sheringham and one count of possessing an article for use in fraud in Pagham, West Sussex.

She was sentenced to 16 months in prison for the Norfolk frauds and a further nine months for theft – 25 months in total.

Sublet

She was due to pay the landlord £1,036 and a month’s rent of £850. Instead, she sublet the property to a couple who signed a rental agreement and sent her £1,900. However, Chamberlain claimed they could not move in as the roof had fallen in.

A family member found someone else living at the property who said they were the tenant – another victim who had also signed a contract and paid £1,800.

The legitimate landlord didn’t see any of the money and said in a statement: “I had been diagnosed with stage three endometrial cancer two months earlier and was about to start chemotherapy. I tried to help Natalie because I sympathised with her, I allowed her into my home, something that I never do as I value my privacy.

“When I discovered that I had been conned by Natalie and lied to using the most grotesque excuse, I felt a myriad of emotions, embarrassment, shame, anxiety and depression. I still cannot believe that somebody could be so cruel.”

Image credits: Norfolk Police/Streetview