The ruling brings to an end a six-year legal battle pursued by Ealing Council against Jagdishbhai Patel, Minaxiben Patel, their son Alpesh Patel of Hanwell, and daughter Parul Patel of Perivale.
At Isleworth Crown Court, the defendants — all listed as legal owners of the property — were ordered to pay £929,621.11, covering a confiscation order, fines, victim surcharge, and prosecution costs.
In August 2019 Ealing Council issued two planning enforcement notices against a property in Hanwell owned by the landlord family, after extensions were carried out without permission.
The first notice ordered the cessation of an outbuilding’s use as a self-contained flat. The second required the first and second floors to stop being used as four separate flats, with instructions to strip out the kitchens and bathrooms installed as part of the unlawful conversion.
An appeal lodged against one of the notices was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate, and the family was directed to restore the property to its original condition by October 2020.
After repeated warning letters were ignored, council officers executed a warrant at the property in April 2022 and discovered that neither enforcement notice had been complied with. The unlawful flats and outbuilding were still being rented out, generating income for the defendants.
All four owners were summoned to court in January 2023 but failed to attend. At a subsequent hearing in June 2023, they admitted breaching both enforcement notices. However, repeated attempts to change their pleas and further non-attendance at hearings dragged the case out.
A follow-up inspection in July 2025 confirmed that the notices were still being flouted. Council tax records showed all five dwellings remained occupied, with the landlords continuing to collect rent throughout.
At a hearing in October 2025, the court imposed a confiscation order of £900,217.11 on Jagdishbhai and Minaxiben Patel. In addition, each was fined £4,500 — a combined total of £9,000 — and ordered to pay £8,000 in legal costs and a £181 victim surcharge.
Their children, Alpesh and Parul Patel, were also named as registered owners of the property. However, the court found them less culpable for breaching the enforcement notices. Each was required to pay a £21 victim surcharge and £2,000 in costs.
The defendants have been warned that continued failure to comply with the original enforcement notices will trigger further legal proceedings.
In November Ealing Council introduced stricter planning rules requiring that all new houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) — regardless of size — must now secure formal planning permission before conversion.
The council says: “The outcome of this prosecution sends a clear message that we will not tolerate illegal property conversions that undermine our planning system and put residents at risk. We will use every legal tool available to us to ensure offenders who wilfully ignore the rules are financially punished.
“This outcome reflects the seriousness of these breaches. Anyone intending to make changes to their property must get approval first. We remain committed to protecting private tenants and ensure they have safe, well-maintained homes.”