A letting agent has been sentenced after embezzling more than £16,000 from clients, in a case that has raised fresh concerns over transparency and trust within the letting industry.

Ross Young, whose role involved managing rental payments and deposits at Belvoir Lettings in Edinburgh, diverted the funds for personal use over a sustained period. The theft came to light following an internal audit, which revealed discrepancies in client accounts.

The 40-year-old admitted embezzling £16,680 from his employer, after submitting a series of fake invoices for work that was never carried out.

Edinburgh News reports that Young, who carried out the fraud over a ten-month period between January and October 2019 while working as general manager at the firm’s branch in Dundas Street, has been ordered to carry out unpaid work as punishment.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Young had responsibility for hiring staff, promoting the company, and had access to the agency’s computer systems and credit card.

The scam came to light when an accounts manager became suspicious about a number of invoices linked to work supposedly carried out on properties managed by the agency. An investigation revealed that several companies named in the invoices had not been instructed to do any work.

Police were contacted and it was found that a total of £16,680 had been transferred into an account owned by the defendant.

Young, of Colinton, Edinburgh, originally faced a charge of embezzling £31,154, but this figure was amended ahead of his guilty plea at court on Monday. His solicitor reserved mitigation for the sentencing hearing.