A landlord from Acton has had to pay more than £41,500 after breaking planning laws and housing 14 people in a single-family home.
After investigating complaints of building work, Ealing Council enforcement officers found Muhammad Sohaib Anwar of Noel Road, Acton, had changed the use of his property to a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) without seeking planning permission.
Mr Anwar had split the first floor into sections and changed the layout to create a nine bedroom house, with tenants paying up to £400 per month in rent for each room.
Following site inspections Mr Anwar was served with an enforcement notice under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) to cease use of the property as an HMO, remove one of the kitchens and return the property to its former state as a single-family home.
The landlord pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to comply with an enforcement notice for breaching planning permission before Ealing Magistrates Court.
He was given a confiscation order of £31,969 from the benefit of his criminal conduct and sentenced to pay a £2,500 fine and £7,088.95 in costs – bringing the total to £41,557.95- at Isleworth Crown Court on September 29.
Council leader, Councillor Julian Bell, said: “Mr Anwar was given several chances to comply with planning laws, but instead chose to line his own pockets. The council is committed to improving the quality of privately rented accommodation and to increasing the supply of rented property but we will come down very hard on bad landlords who break planning or environmental health rules and exploit their tenants.”
Anyone who suspects someone of carrying out major work without planning permission should report concerns to the council for further investigation.
