A rogue landlord convicted of letting out illegally converted flats in London had been ordered to repay the £300k he made in rental income. If he fails to pay the money back within three months, he could be sent to prison.
The landlord illegally converted a house in Crouch End into nine tiny dwellings. Haringey Council became aware of the illegal conversion in 2012 and ordered the landlord to stop renting the flats out. The landlord appealed to the Planning Inspectorate 21 months later, but his appeal failed. Despite this, he continued to let the flats out.
Landlord Fined
Eventually, Haringey Council took him to court. He pleaded guilty to noncompliance of an enforcement notice and the court issued a confiscation notice for the £310,372 in rental income. He was also fined a further £5k and ordered to pay the council’s costs.
Haringey Council said after the hearing that they hoped the judgement would serve as a warning to other rogue landlords.
Taking a Tough Stance
“We take a tough stance against rogue landlords who try to make a quick buck out of the housing crisis by renting out cramped, substandard properties. Let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks they can cheat their way to a profit – we will always pursue rogue landlords through the courts to protect our residents from exploitation.”
Illegal conversions are a real problem in London. Because demand for affordable housing is high, some landlords try to make a quick buck by converting outbuildings into bedsits, but councils are cracking down on the practice.
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