We lost savings for our baby in flat-letting scam

Three households have been conned out of thousands of pounds after conmen broke into a vacant London property and "rented" it to all of them.

The three groups included one couple, Daniel Simpson and his girlfriend Cristina Monachello, who are expecting their first baby and who lost their £2,500 life savings in the trick. They are now struggling to afford the most basic provisions for their new baby.

A group of four women paid the conmen £2,240 and a couple from New Zealand paid £2,400. Detectives are hunting two men who "let" the two-bedroom garden flat, in a Victorian house in West Hampstead, after advertising on the Gumtree website.

Mr Simpson, 30, an IT analyst, and Ms Monachello, 29, an accounts assistant, today told how they had turned up at the flat to find four women unpacking boxes. The New Zealanders, who had moved in the night before, returned to find their belongings on the street.

Mr Simpson said: "It was really nice, it had a garden and a patio and was a good location on the Jubilee line. I was cautious about handing over cash but we checked the tenancy agreement.

"They were really playing on the fact it was great place for a baby, but it was all part of the act. We arrived to see someone else's boxes floor to ceiling. Cristina just burst into tears. We've lost all our savings for baby things."

The suspects claimed to be brothers, believed to have the surname Khan. It is thought they broke in and then changed the locks. Camden police have taken away the fake tenancy agreement to test for fingerprints.

Brazilian Suelen Cesca, 22, was one of four women unpacking when the couple arrived. She said: "We felt terrible We have decided to stay because we have nowhere to go."

New Zealanders Kirsty Horne and Benjamin Somerset, both 27, have moved back into their old property.

Land Registry records shows the freeholder is Christopher Raymond, who has owned it since 1983. Neighbours say he lives in France and there is no suggestion he knows about the con.

A spokesman for Gumtree said: "We advise never to transfer any funds before seeing a property and meeting the landlord. We also recommend that you ask to see proof of ownership."