A court has ordered a husband and wife landlord team to pay back £322,282 in illegal income, following a prosecution by Brent Council.
The confiscation order was made at Harrow Crown Court on 12 December under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Mohammad Ishaq, 68, and Shamim Akhtar, 66, both of Clifford Way, Neasden, had pleaded guilty to the planning offences at Willesden Magistrates Court in May. The case was then referred to Harrow Crown Court for confiscation and sentencing.
Extensive inquiries by Brent's financial investigators revealed the extent of the illegal income. On top of the confiscation order, they were each fined £10,000 for their failure to comply with planning enforcement notices on properties they own in Willesden and Harlesden. They were also ordered to pay the Council's costs.
The terrace houses, at Glynfield Road and Belton Road, had been converted into a total of 18 tiny flats without planning permission. They subsequently lost appeals against Brent's enforcement notices, which ordered them to undo the works.
Despite written warnings from the Council, they ignored the problem and failed to comply with the notices for several years.
In passing the sentence, Judge Dean said: "The London borough of Brent is very assiduous about prosecuting these cases". She also added that the breaches had caused harm to both the surrounding community and to the occupants of the properties. "I hope we can draw a line under this," she told the defendants. "As you'll continue to be landlords, I hope you now understand the importance of providing good quality properties."
The result comes just a few weeks after a record £1.4 million confiscation order was made against a different landlord in the same court, also for planning offences.
Cllr Tom Miller, Brent Council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: "These individuals showed a blatant disregard for planning rules by renting out shoddy accommodation and have now paid the price. Once again, Brent has shown that ignoring enforcement notices simply doesn't pay."
