Paralegal exposed: Mum of two lied to council for housing despite £321k family property

A law graduate lied to the council for housing while secretly owning a five-bedroom £321k Wolverhampton home.

Kiran Madhar once embodied ambition and promise. A law graduate from Aston University, she strode proudly across the stage in 2021, cap and gown firmly in place, as her family watched with admiration. She secured a coveted graduate scheme at a top law firm and seemed destined for a glittering career in the legal profession.

But this month, the 25-year-old mother-of-two stood in the dock at Dudley Magistrates’ Court, convicted of fraud. Her fall from grace was as swift as it was startling.

Madhar pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonesty under the Fraud Act 2006 after she falsely claimed homelessness in an attempt to obtain council housing. In reality, she was the joint owner of a spacious five-bedroom semi-detached property on Wolverhampton’s sought-after Trysull Road.

Her elaborate deception began in July 2023. Claiming she and her children had been forced to leave her parents’ house, she applied to the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Homeless Services Team. She presented documents to bolster her story, insisting she had no alternative housing. The council believed her and granted emergency priority status on its Homes in the City waiting list.

For months, Madhar pressed officials with urgent pleas for a home, while over 5,600 genuinely homeless residents languished on the waiting list. The truth only came to light after the council’s Counter Fraud Team launched an investigation.

Their discovery was damning: in August 2022, Madhar and her sister had purchased their property for £321,500 — almost £100,000 above the city’s average house price. The home boasted multiple reception rooms and an expansive garden. Outside, the nameplate read “Madhar Nivas”, a Hindi term meaning “home” or “dwelling”.

Neighbours expressed astonishment at the revelations. One described the family as distant and aloof: “They don’t even look at you. You try to smile or say hello, but you get nothing back. It’s very strange.” Another reacted bluntly: “How can you do that? It catches up. It always catches up.”

The magistrates sentenced Madhar to a 12-month Community Order. This included a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a Mental Health Treatment Requirement. She must also pay £1,200 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Despite her conviction, Madhar continues to work as a paralegal at HRS Family Law Solicitors Ltd. The firm’s website describes her as “a valued member of the Private Law team”, though it declined to comment when approached. Her career trajectory has already seen turbulence: she initially joined a Legal Tech graduate scheme at international firm Eversheds Sutherland in 2022 but did not appear to complete it.

The case has stirred strong criticism, particularly given the dire demand for social housing in Wolverhampton and across the West Midlands. At the start of 2024, more than 6,300 people were on the city’s housing waiting list.

Councillor Louise Miles, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, condemned the fraud. “As a council we take fraud committed against the taxpayer incredibly seriously, and this case sends a clear message that fraudulent applications for social housing will not be tolerated,” she said. “Our housing services exist to support those in genuine need, and dishonesty undermines the integrity of the system and the trust of our residents.”

The ruling means a property that might have gone to Madhar will instead be allocated to a family in genuine need. For the once-celebrated graduate, the judgment marks a dramatic and public unravelling of her professional and personal life.