A Japanese woman may drop out of university and flee Britain after accusing her landlord of duping her out of £3,000 rent.

The 22-year-old, who is in the second year of a degree at the University of Brighton, said her landlord took the cash after she renewed her contract, then changed the locks while she was away visiting relatives in Japan.

The distraught student is flying back to Japan today and has not yet decided whether to return to England.

She rented a flat in Albert Road, Brighton, through Hove letting agency, Just Lets. Now the landlord cannot be traced.

The student was too upset to talk about her ordeal but her friend Robert Stevens, speaking for her, said her parents were devastated by what had happened to their daughter and were worried about her staying in Britain to finish her course.

Mr Stevens, of Long Beach View, Eastbourne, who was a host to the student when she first arrived in Britain two years ago, said: "I feel completely ashamed this could happen.

"The students bring a lot to the area they live in, and without this quite large student population from overseas, the economy wouldn't do as well.

"I have spent time in Japan and I know the Japanese to be very fair, honest and decent people.

"That is what makes it even harder because they don't understand how something like this could happen.

"Her initial gut reaction was to abandon everything and go back home."

Mr Stevens said if his friend did try to complete her final year, she faced having to pay out another £6,000 for somewhere to live.

"I have contacted the police but because nothing was actually stolen from her they say there is nothing they can do."

The student paid £3,007 to renew her lease in August, entitling her to live at the flat for six months until February 2.

She went home to Japan for the summer holidays but while there, her belongings were removed from the flat and left on the doorstep.

Just Lets say they sympathise with the woman but can do little more to help.

Agency partner Patrick Kneath said: "The tenant's contract is not with us, it's with the landlord. We are sympathetic and happy to help where we can but she has to take recourse through a solicitor to the landlord.

"We will back her by chasing the landlord and see what he says. We have tried to contact him on a daily basis but at the moment are having no joy."