Fitness influencer ‘secretly sublet flat to tourists on Airbnb while on holiday in Dubai’

Ifende Uzoka, a four-time bodybuilding champion and fitness influencer
Ifende Uzoka, a four-time bodybuilding champion and fitness influencer, boasted trips in Dubai while reportedly sub-letting her one-bedroom London flat

A landlord has accused a fitness influencer of secretly subletting her flat to tourists on AirBnB while jetting off on holiday to Dubai.

Leanne Newton claimed that her tenant had listed her one-bedroom London flat on short-term rental websites after altering the interior decor and furniture.

Ifende Uzoka, a bodybuilding champion and fitness influencer who boasts online of yacht trips in Dubai, was reportedly advertising the Stratford flat for as much as £190 per night on Airbnb and Booking.com.

“This is the first time in my whole term as a landlord that I’ve ever encountered something like this, it’s gobsmacking,” Ms Newton told MailOnline.

Ms Uzoka rented the one-bedroom Newham flat in October last year for £1,900 per month, having passed background checks that appeared to verify her bona fides.

Yet her landlady complained that the 34-year-old tenant had apparently listed the property as a two-bed holiday home and put up large TVs on internal walls that were not designed for them.

Newham flat
The Newham flat was listed on AirBnB and Booking.com for as much as £190 per night

Ms Newton, who revealed the dining room has been converted into a second bedroom, said she was even allegedly trying to make a booking for eight guests.

She explained her reaction as “absolute shock”, saying: “How could there be another house in London with similar architecture to mine and similar art to mine, but with different furniture?

“I had heard about these sorts of scams operating, but we thought we were careful about the screening and contracts process, and we have still been bitten.”

“They’ve changed out the furniture. They’ve put panels up on walls. They’ve mounted big screen TVs on walls that are not safe for that to happen in.”

The landlady said she had alerted Newham Council, Airbnb, Booking.com and the Metropolitan Police to no avail, leaving her with no option but the normal civil eviction process.

Newham flat
The landlord claims that the one-bedroom flat was listed as a two-bedroom flat

A Newham Council spokesman said: “We have located two online reports made in relation to a property in Fairland Road, Stratford, which we only received last week.

“As this is a very recent report we are yet to review and respond to the landlord directly.

“If the occupation or tenancy has been breached it is for the landlord to resolve or take the appropriate legal actions to gain possession of the property.”

A spokesman for Airbnb said: “This property is not active on Airbnb. We ask all hosts to ensure that they have permission to list their space and remind them to check and follow local rules before they list and throughout the year. This is made clear in our Terms of Service and on our responsible hosting page.”

A Booking.com spokesman said the website was investigating, adding: “When accommodation providers sign up to list on Booking.com they must agree to our terms and conditions, verifying that they are legally permitted to rent out their accommodation.”

Police said it was a matter for the council. Ms Uzoka was approached for comment.