A private prosecution has today (2nd July 26) resulted in the sentencing of Ariana Rose, a prolific offender whose crimes exposed the serious financial, practical and emotional damage that dishonest tenants can cause to landlords, prospective renters and the wider rental market.
Today at Southwark Crown Court, Rose was sentenced to serve a five year prison sentence after pleading guilty on 4 June 2026 to multiple counts of fraud, using a false instrument and perverting the course of justice. The court also sentenced Rose for five theft offences to which she had pleaded guilty in separate Crown Prosecution Service proceedings.
In passing sentence His Honour Judge Rimmer described the offending as
“A campaign of dishonest behaviour spanning nearly a decade”.
The Judge went on to state:
“The Court keeps well in mind the terrible experience you put all your victims through. No doubt you caused very real upset and distress, enormous inconvenience and immense personal stress. The theft offences caused considerable loss. The impact of many offences has had a long-lasting invidious impact. As a tenant and sub-letter, in which you falsified documents and used multiple false identities from which you carried on correspondence manipulatively and distressingly…You demonstrated callous cruelty. You paid scant regard to the feelings of your fellow human beings. You shamelessly exploited those who had reposed their good faith in you.”
The Judge observed that Rose’s offending was carried out at times when Rose appeared to have significant income and was using her ill-gotten gains to live beyond her means, as had been evidenced by receipts from Claridges for lobster and champagne, and posts on social media. The Judge also observed the significant impact that Rose’s offending had had on her many victims and their families, describing one victim impact statement as “heart-rending”.
Rose was also ordered to pay compensation totalling £67,092.70 to the victims of her criminality.
Ariana Rose: Background
The offences arose from a pattern of dishonest conduct spanning almost a decade in which Rose:
- posed as a landlord for properties she did not own or have any right to sublet, and took thousands from unsuspecting renters;
- used forged documents and false references to obtain tenancies;
- represented that rent and arrears would be paid she had no genuine intention to pay; and
- pursued a fraudulent civil claim against a landlord for expenses she had not incurred.
Seven known victims provided statements for the prosecution, many of whom had sought help from the police or Action Fraud and been told that their complaint was a civil matter.
Between 2016 and 2018, Rose dishonestly represented herself as the landlord of a property which she occupied as a tenant. She created a false email account to impersonate the true landlord and used falsified tenancy documentation, including forged signatures. By doing so, she induced three victims to pay her thousands of pounds in rent, deposits and referencing fees. When challenged about her conduct, Rose threatened one victim and failed to satisfy County Court Judgments obtained against her by another. When the landlord sought possession, the process was lengthy and costly. By the time judgment was obtained, 8 months later, rent arrears had legal costs had risen to over £8,000.
In 2024, Rose rented a property from the private prosecutor. To secure the tenancy, she used the same false email account that had featured in earlier offending to impersonate a former landlord and provide herself with a positive reference. Once in occupation, she failed to pay rent and remained at the property for approximately 16 months, generating rental arrears of £43,000. Rose later perverted the course of justice by pursuing a fraudulent county court claim against the landlord, entirely perniciously, for expenses she falsely asserted she had incurred for staying in a hotel after being evicted. The expenses were wholly false.
Offences committed on bail
Whilst on bail in the private prosecution, Rose was arrested by Warwickshire Police in relation to further offending committed between July and October 2025. She was subsequently prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service. On 16 April 2026, at Warwick Crown Court, Rose pleaded guilty to five counts of theft after obtaining access to victims’ homes as a house-sitter and stealing valuable and highly sentimental possessions worth tens of thousands of pounds.
Previous convictions
Rose’s offending follows earlier convictions for similar conduct. In 2008, she was convicted of theft of tens of thousands of pounds from her employer, Barclays Bank. In 2011, she was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment after posing as the landlord of a property and taking thousands in deposits and rental payments from three victims. After leaving prison, Ariana Rose changed her name and went on to commit the offences for which she has now been sentenced.
Partner, Ashley Fairbrother said: “This case shows that landlords do not always have to accept fraud, fabricated references, mounting arrears or abusive court claims as simply part of the cost of renting out property. Where the evidence supports it, a private prosecution can be a powerful route to justice and can expose repeated dishonest conduct that might otherwise be treated as a purely civil dispute.”
Landlord and tenant disputes: when to seek advice
Landlords should consider taking advice urgently where a tenant has supplied suspicious references, stopped paying rent, refused to leave after notice, unlawfully sublet the property, caused serious arrears, or made allegations that appear to be fabricated. In cases involving dishonesty, the available options may extend beyond standard possession proceedings and may include fraud claims, evidence preservation steps and, in appropriate circumstances, private prosecution.
For further information, press enquiries, or landlord and tenant advice concerning tenant fraud, eviction, possession proceedings, rent arrears, unlawful subletting or private prosecutions, please contact Natalie Tenorio-Bernal or Ashley Fairbrother.
Carolina Cabral – June 2026.
Ariana Rose Fraud: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39545490/glam-scammer-stole-brides-wedding-day/
