Two landlords have received substantial fines for violating planning laws and disregarding warnings from Ealing Council.

These unrelated cases led to fines and court fees exceeding £250,000. The fines were imposed due to their failure to adhere to planning rules and their disregard for instructions from the council's planning enforcement team. The properties involved were located in Southall and Perivale.

Zasar Khan, residing at The Broadway, Southall, has been instructed to pay over £125,000 for disregarding a planning enforcement notice pertaining to his property.

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In March 2019, a council inspection revealed that Mr. Khan, 49 years old, had constructed an unauthorized rear roof extension, subsequently converting it into 6 self-contained flats. This conversion led to cramped and sub-standard living conditions. Mr. Khan was issued an enforcement notice, directing him to cease the usage of the property as 6 flats and to dismantle the unauthorized rear roof extension.

Despite lodging an appeal against the enforcement notice with the national Planning Inspectorate, the appeal was rejected in July 2020. Subsequently, council officials obtained a warrant to enter the property. In December 2021, they discovered that the property was still being occupied in violation of the notice. This led to the issuance of a court summons.

In July 2021, Mr. Khan was pronounced guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court for not adhering to the enforcement notice. Subsequently, the case was forwarded to the Crown Court for asset seizure proceedings. In July this year, Isleworth Crown Court ordered Mr. Khan to pay a Confiscation Order amounting to £104,000. Additionally, he was required to pay £14,000 for costs and was subjected to a fine of £9,000.

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Unauthorised extension and conversion in Perivale

Hafiz Imran, of Rydal Crescent, Perivale faces a £130,000 penalty for not adhering to a council enforcement notice demanding the removal of an unauthorized wrap-around extension at his property. His appeal to the Planning Inspectorate was also rejected.

Despite the enforcement notice, the unapproved extension remained in January 2020. Additionally, Mr. Imran had turned the side extension into an unauthorized self-contained flat.

He was found guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in December 2021. Because Mr Imran had benefitted financially, the case was referred to the Crown Court for confiscation proceedings. in July this year, Isleworth Crown Court ordered him to pay a Confiscation Order of £100,000 ruled for a £100,000 Confiscation Order, £30,000 in costs, and a £500 fine.

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Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for safe and genuinely affordable homes, said: "Once again, these are great results for the borough. A big ‘thank you’ goes to our enforcement team, which worked tirelessly to investigate two landlords who put their tenants at risk by not meeting their responsibilities. In these cases, the landlords initially have three months to pay their confiscation orders and risk a default prison sentence if they do not pay."

"We know most of our landlords provide high quality, well-managed housing for local people, but we will continue to take robust action against those who do not."

To report a potential breach of planning regulations, you can email the details to planningenforcement@ealing.gov.uk.

Photo: Ealing Council