Two companies who TWICE illegally divided a flat into two - once after being ordered to return it to normal - have been ordered to pay tens of thousands of pounds.
Planners at Barking and Dagenham Council became aware in 2015 that a flat above a shop in Longbridge Road, Barking, had been converted into two separate self-contained flats without planning permission.
They issued an enforcement notice in December 2015 stating that the property should be returned to a single dwelling within three months.
But when investigators visited in November 2016, the property was still divided into two flats.
They found the property was owned by MSA Global Investments, run by Shah Zaib Akhtar and managed by Star Lettings, an estate agency operated by Talib Hussain.
After the council contacted both companies, the property was restored to one flat in July 2017.
The owner and agent were told no further action would be taken, but that the enforcement notice remained in place.
After an application was made and then withdrawn to convert the property into a house of multiple occupation (HMO), the council’s planning enforcement and special investigations team revisited the property in 2021.
Officers found it had once again been divided into separate flats with separate kitchens, bathrooms and additional internal doors.
On November 15, 2022, Mr Akhtar and Mr Hussain pleaded guilty at Barkingside Magistrates Court, on behalf of both companies, to breaching the original enforcement notice.
They were sentenced on October 23 at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
MSA Global Investments was fined £4,900 and ordered to pay £1,596 towards Barking and Dagenham Council legal costs and a victim surcharge of £190.
It must also pay a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act of £54,807.
Star Lettings was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay legal costs of £684 and a victim surcharge of £190. It must pay a confiscation order of £5,480.
All sums must be paid within three months.
Councillor Syed Ghani, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: “I don’t understand why these landlords thought they would get away with this when they had been warned.
“We expect landlords to follow the rules and this outcome shows that if you don’t, we will take action.”
The notice remained in place since the council's first visit back in 2015, where they discovered the property had been split into two separate self-contained flats without planning permission.
The enforcement notice in place was issued to them in December 2015 stated the property should be reverted to a single dwelling in three months.
When the Special investigations team re-visited in 2016, no changes had been made to comply with the enforcement notice.
Changes were made in 2017 when the council got in touch with both companies. No further action was taken at the time.
After an application was made and withdrawn in 2021 to convert the property into a House of Multiple Occupation, another visit took place.
Council teams found the flat had once again been split into two, with separate kitchens, bathrooms and additional internal doors.
MSA Global Investments Ltd were fined £4,900 with costs to Barking and Dagenham council of £1,596 and a Victim surcharge of £190.
A confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act was also made in the sum of £54,807.69.
Star Lettings Ltd were fined £2,000 with costs to Barking and Dagenham Council of £684 and a Victim Surcharge of £190.
A confiscation Order was made in the sum of £5,480.76p.
All charges from both companies are to be paid within 3 months.
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