A mother and son have been ordered to pay more than £3,000 by the courts for failing to stop using their outhouse as an illegal accommodation.

Mr and Mrs Bansal were issued with an enforcement notice after a visit by Ealing Council’s regulatory services officers. There was evidence that the outbuilding was being used as an unauthorised self-contained place. The notice required the removal of all traces of a fully fitted kitchen.

When council officers returned to re-inspect the property all the kitchen facilities were still in place with freshly washed dishes in the rack. There was a bed made up to sleep in, and used toiletries and towels in the bathroom.

Mr Charanjit Singh Bansal, of Derley Road, Southall, appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court on 4 July 2013 to represent himself and his mother Mrs Baljit Kaur Bansal.

Mr Bansal pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the enforcement notice issued on the use of the detached outbuilding as a self-contained residential accommodation. Mr Bansal was fined £925 plus £1244 in costs and £93 victim surcharge.

Mrs Bansal, in her absence, was ordered to pay a £230 fine, £500 costs and £23 victim surcharge.

Council leader Julian Bell, said: "This case is a great example of the on-going work of the council’s outhouse team. This mother and son paid no regard to the legal notice served on them to remove the kitchen from their outbuilding."

"We will continue to investigate complaints about outbuildings being used as living accommodation and will take firm action when enforcement notices have been ignored."

The council has inspecting properties across the borough with suspected outhouses being used as residential accommodation, without formal permission from the planning department.