A Southall man who converted a house into three flats without planning permission will have to pay out more than £4,000.

Balwinder Singh Kahlon, of East Avenue, Southall, pleaded guilty to breaching a planning enforcement notice when he appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court on Friday, 22 June 2012.

After receiving an anonymous tip-off that the owner and landlord had converted the house into three self-contained flats without planning permission, Ealing Council’s planning enforcement team started investigating the East Avenue property.

Officers issued him with a notice under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) requiring him to stop using the property as three separate flats and return it to one house by August 2010.

When further site visits showed he had not attempted to start work to comply with the notice, the council launched legal action.

Magistrates fined him £2,800 and ordered him to pay the council’s £1,597.97 prosecution costs and a £15 victim surcharge – a total of £4,412.97.

A collection order was put in place requiring Kahlon to pay the money at a rate of £250 a month and he will also have to meet the cost of returning the flats to a single house.

Council Leader, Councillor Julian Bell, said: "I hope this fine sends a clear message to greedy landlords that we will take action if they flout planning regulations."

"I would urge anyone who suspects someone of carrying out major work without planning permission to get in touch with the council."