Man comes home to find his house is sold and new owners renovating it

Reverend Mike Hall was told he was "trespassing" in his own house. Photo / BBC

A man has been left astounded and furious after he came home to find his house had been sold by fraudsters.

Reverend Mike Hall, from England, was away working in Wales when he got a phone call from worried neighbours saying there were people inside his property.

He returned back to his home town of Luton on August 20 to find the house had been completely stripped of his belongings and renovations had already started taking place

Upon returning home, the new owners then told him to "get out", claiming he was "trespassing".

Speaking to the BBC, Hall said he went up to the front and tried his key but it didn't work.

Instead, a man opened the door to him.

"I pushed him to one side and got in the property. I really didn't know what he was doing there.

"The shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture; all furnishings, carpet, curtains – everything – was out of the property.

"I was shocked – having seen the house in the state it was, I was in a bit of a state of shock anyway – but then to be told by the police they didn't believe a criminal offence had been committed here was just unbelievable."

Reverend Mike Hall was told he was "trespassing" in his own house. Photo / BBC

A BBC investigation found Hall's identity had been stolen and scammers had pocketed £131,000 (NZ$249,000) from the sale of his home.

Frustratingly, police initially told him no fraud had been committed as the Land Registry documentation online showed the new owner's name.

Instead, he was advised to contact a lawyer as it was a "civil matter".

Police eventually launched an investigation, but no arrests have been made.