The investigation details overlapping business interests and family connections within the Schreiber dynasty, which controls a nationwide commercial property portfolio through the Midos Group investment vehicle. The family operates Midos Management Co, a firm that matches councils with landlords and arranges leases for temporary accommodation, collecting fees in exchange.
Separately, members of the family are linked to at least two property companies that allegedly benefited from a controversial “faith room” scheme. The arrangement, marketed by Greater Manchester property consultancy Verity, exploits a legal provision allowing property owners to avoid paying business rates on empty commercial spaces if the property is used for religious worship. Verity claims the scheme has saved landlords at least £18 million.
Legal records show Dover district council is pursuing £1.7 million in unpaid rates in an ongoing case. The council alleges that 56 empty units at the Discovery Park science park in Kent were falsely claimed as available for worship. According to court documents, the scheme involved placing a standard notice at the unit, setting up a table and two chairs, and having a staff member briefly read from a religious text on video.
“The claim adds that there is no evidence of any member of the public ever attending any such service at any unit at any time,” the court filing states. The defendants argue that the prayer sessions occurred and that the structure was legitimately arranged to mitigate tax obligations.
Lawyers for Midos Group, DP East, and Discovery Park said the entities are separate corporate bodies. However, corporate filings indicate that Brooklee Limited, the entity owning the park, is ultimately owned by four members of the Schreiber family. David Schreiber serves as a director of both Midos Group and Brooklee, while Discovery Park’s chief executive, Mayer Schreiber, is also a director of Midos.
At the same time, Midos Management Co has heavily intersected with the council budget of the London borough of Lambeth. Since 2019, the company has collected at least £43 million on behalf of landlords providing temporary housing to the authority, according to council records. A neighbor told the Guardian they have never witnessed group events or prayer sessions at a related former pub in Clapham currently advertised on the Faithful Global website.
Elizabeth Endzweig, who owns Midos Management Co alongside Jacob Endzweig, denied any ties to the tax-avoidance arrangement. Endzweig said there is “no relationship whatsoever” between her business and Midos Group, adding the similar name was chosen “solely on the basis of preference.” Lawyers for Midos Group echoed this, stating there is “no operational, financial or managerial connection” between the firms.
Despite the denials, public records show Elizabeth Endzweig is the daughter of David Schreiber. She shares directorships and shareholdings across multiple businesses with her mother, Miriam, who owns the parent Midos Group. Archived versions of the Midos Management Co website previously stated that the “Midos Group is proud to offer our wealth of experience in successfully procuring accommodation,” text Endzweig attributed to an IT error.
Siobhain McDonagh, who chairs a cross-parliamentary group examining temporary accommodation, criticized the financial arrangement. She said the situation represents having one’s “cake and eating it” and expressed skepticism regarding the independence of the companies. “I’m always amazed at the ingenuity of the temporary accommodation sector to come up with every trick in the book to maximize their profits and reduce their responsibilities,” McDonagh said.