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A landlord who illegally converted a three-bedroom house into two self-contained flats has been ordered by the courts to pay back the £140k in rent she earned from letting the flats. If she fails to repay the money within three months, she will be sent to jail for up to a year.
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Caught Out by Planning Officials
The landlord was caught out by council planning enforcement officers after an anonymous tip-off. When council officers came to view the property they discovered she had turned the property, alleged to be worth around £400k, into two flats. The illegal conversion proved to be a nice little earner, which generated £142,490 in rental income. Unfortunately, crime never pays, and as well as repaying the rent she earned, the landlord now has to find an extra £1,100 in fines and victim surcharge.
Hillingdon Council Pleased with Result
Hillingdon council was thrilled at the outcome of the case, and speaking after the verdict, council leader, Ray Puddifoot, said:
“This is a great result for Hillingdon Council. Our prosecution of Mrs Sethi and our planning enforcement and trading standards team’s investigation into her illegal activity has led to her prosecution and the proceeds of her crime being recovered at sentencing. Hillingdon Council is committed to ensure that crime does not pay in this borough.”
Mrs Sethi is not the first person to be prosecuted for illegally extending an existing property for the purposes of generating extra rental income. Another landlord was recently prosecuted by the same council for adding a large extension to his property without planning permission.
