The landlord had illegally altered buildings that he rented out as HMOs and then subsequently failed to comply with enforcement notices served on him by Hillingdon Council in London.

At a Magistrates Court hearing on 7th March the landlord pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to comply with an enforcement notice. Council planning enforcement officers visited 2 of the landlord's properties after receiving a report that a storage building to the rear of the properties had been illegally converted and was being operated as an HMO.

Without applying for planning permission, the landlord had installed two shower rooms, a kitchen and a toilet on the first floor as well as an external door leading onto the extended roof of the first floor which had had railings installed in order to provide "an amenity space" for the residents.

The landlord had also added an illegal single storey side extension to one of the properties.

Enforcement notices were served in March 2021 ordering the landlord to cease using the former storage building as an HMO and to remove the first floor external door and railings. In addition, the landlord was required to remove the side extension he had added to the second property.

The notices required the landlord to comply by July 2021 but on a follow up visit by council officers in February 2023 it was found that the landlord had not complied with any of the notices. The landlord was fined £12,000 with a victim surcharge of £2000 and council court costs of £1,660.

Cllr. Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Residents' Services at Hillingdon Council, said "This is another brilliant result reflecting the hard work of our planning enforcement team. We're determined to create safe, strong communities where residents can live a high quality of life and we'll take all action necessary to tackle rogue landlords who flout the rules".

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