More than £11,000 of funds was confiscated by the courts from a couple for illegally renting out an outhouse building in their garden.

Officers from Ealing Council’s outhouses team suspected the couple were using the building as an unauthorised residential unit, after finding a fully fitted kitchen and bathroom during an inspection of the outhouse.

An enforcement notice was issued, which required the couple to remove all kitchen and bathroom facilities from the outhouse building.

When the officers returned to re-inspect the property, they found beds, toys and other personal effects indicating that a family was living in the outhouse.

The owner of 137 Trinity Road, Southall, Mr Mubashar Ahmed pleaded guilty to not complying with a council enforcement notice at Ealing Magistrates Court on 4 April 2013. The matter was committed to Isleworth Crown Court for confiscation proceedings and sentencing.

On Monday (5 August), the Isleworth Crown Court confiscated £11,654 from Mr Ahmed, which he had earned from the illegal rental of the outbuilding. He was also ordered to pay a £500 fine, £3,085 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Council leader Julian Bell, said: "This is a great result for the council’s outhouses team, and demonstrates how effective their investigations have been in detecting and prosecuting this type of illegal activity in the borough. We will continue to inspect properties and issue enforcement notices to individuals illegally using outhouses, and will take firm legal action when these notices are ignored."

The council’s outhouses team inspects properties across the borough, to detect the illegal use of an outbuilding as sleeping accommodation without planning permission.