A man was fined $123,000 for renting out his central London apartment to tourists on Airbnb

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A man has been fined £100,000 ($123,000) for renting out his central London council apartment to tourists on Airbnb.
In the UK, council properties are managed by the government and distributed to people in need. Most are gifted, or rented at a subsidized rate, so it’s illegal to sublet them.
Westminster City Council said that Toby Harman, 37, had made £100,974 ($124,302) in profits from 300 bookings at his Victoria apartment since 2013.
Harman wrote on Airbnb that his "cozy studio apartment in Victoria" also had a hot-tub.
Council member Andrew Smith said: "Social housing is there to provide much-needed homes for our residents, not to generate illicit profits for dishonest tenants."
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A British man has been fined £100,000 ($123,000) for renting out his government-owned apartment in central London to tourists on Airbnb.

In the UK, council houses are owned by the government and distributed to people in need. Some are handed out free of charge, but most are rented at a subsidized rate. It’s illegal for council tenants to sublet their homes.

Westminster City Council said in a statement on July 19 that Toby Harman, 37, accepted 300 bookings at his apartment in Victoria since 2013, making £100,974 ($124,302).

Harman named his listing a "cozy studio apartment in Victoria," and boasted it had a hot-tub.

Harman used the fake username "Lara" to market the property, the council said, and was often thanked by his tenants "for his advice and local restaurant recommendations."

The council said that Harman has now been evicted from the apartment on Vauxhall Bridge Road, close to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

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The UK is experiencing a shortage of affordable housing at present, and there has been a surge in room rentals on platforms like Airbnb in recent years.

More than 1,500 properties in Westminster alone are under investigation for fraudulent lettings.

Council member Andrew Smith said: "Social housing is there to provide much-needed homes for our residents, not to generate illicit profits for dishonest tenants."

"It’s illegal for council tenants to sublet their homes and we carry out tenancy checks, as well as monitoring short-term letting websites for any potential illegal sublets."

INSIDER has contacted Airbnb for comment, but is yet to receive a response.

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