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Landlord issued with confiscation order under POCA for “beds-in-sheds” accommodation (7 August 2017)
Date: 07/08/2017
Brent Council in northwest London has prosecuted a landlord who illegally housed tenants inside his converted garage.
“Beds in sheds” landlord Amir Golesorkhi turned his garage into two small, substandard flats, which he rented to tenants for seven years while he was living in the main house with his wife in Ridge Close, Colindale, north London.
At Harrow Crown Court, Golesorkhi was found guilty of breaching a planning enforcement notice served by Brent Council in April 2008. In spite of the notice, he continued to house tenants inside the flats until late 2016.
Planning enforcement and Trading Standards officers described the flats as “not particularly nice places to live, especially as access was down a narrow, overshadowed alley via a side door”.
Golesorkhi was fined £12,000 on and ordered to pay £116,141 in confiscation proceedings.
The confiscation order was given under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to recover the money that Golesorkhi had made as a result of failing to comply with Brent Council's enforcement notice.
Brent Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, Councillor Harbi Farah, said:
“This is a victory for Brent residents – housing tenants in poor conditions is unacceptable and rogue landlords will pay heavily out of their pockets if they do so.
“Brent Council is committed to protecting renters from landlords who exploit people in the private rented sector for a quick buck.
“Overcrowding, poor safety in the home, micro flats and unlicensed properties are issues that we take very seriously.”
Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors
Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors can advise on a wide range of housing law, including advising developers and self builders on planning permissions and planning appeals.
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