A landlord who has properties based in the Haringey borough, has been ordered to repay the profit as well as hit with a heavy fine, as he was found out by the Council of illegally converting two houses into self contained flats. It was reported that the landlord had made over three hundred thousand pounds from the illegal conversions.

The landlord had previously ignored planning and enforcement notices ordering that the properties that were split into four and five self contained flats, must be returned to single family homes.

He was first prosecuted by Haringey Council in January 2010 after not following the orders of the enforcement notice which was swiftly followed by a second conviction in 2011.

With all the convictions the landlord still failed to carry out the orders and further visits by the planning department found that the properties were still self contained flats.

He was subsequently convicted for the third time in January 2013.

 

In March last year the landlord launched an appeal at Wood Green Court, in his defence he stated he had tried his best to carry out the necessary property changes, as outlined in the enforcement notices. The judge was not impressed by his version of the events and disdainfully dismissed them as “wholly lacking in specific detail.”

Upon successfully achieving the conviction, Haringey Council requested that the case should be considered for a confiscation order - Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, to take away all the profit that he had made from the properties' illegal conversions.

The last confiscation hearing took place in December last year at Wood Green Court and it came to light that he had profited by £312,315 and was given a choice. He would face up to a prison term of three years in prison if he did not repay the figure within a six month period.

He was also ordered to pay the court costs which stood at £6,900.  

Haringey Council will receive a percentage of the confiscation order, which they intend to fund similar enforcement activities.

Councillor Joseph Ejiofor, Haringey Council’s cabinet member for planning and enforcement said: “He was given plenty of opportunity abide by the rules, but ignored repeated enforcement notices while continuing to profit from illegally converted properties. I hope this prosecution sends out a firm message to all landlords in the borough that they are responsible for ensuring the properties they own adhere to the correct planning rules and regulations.”

Since the latest action taken against the landlord one of the properties has now been returned back into a single house that follows the instructions of the enforcement notice.

Undoubtedly further checks will be carried out to make sure that the second property correctly complies with the enforcement notice.