Rogue landlord pays hefty price for illegal property
Published: 18 May 2023
A rogue landlord from Ilford, East London, who illegally subdivided his property into seven separate flats, has been ordered to pay back more than £110,000 through the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
Tirath Singh, the owner of 75 Park Road Ilford, was ordered to pay back £110,670, the income he received from charging rent for the seven illegal units.
Mr Singh appeared at Snaresbrook Court. While Mr Singh obtained his House in Multiple Occupation license, he failed to seek planning permission for the seven illegal units he constructed at the Ilford property. Despite this being an illegal dwelling, Mr Singh rented out the seven properties to tenants, unaware of his dishonest exploits, over five years between 2016 and 2021.
In addition to the POCA fine, Mr Singh was Fined £3,750 and will have to pay costs of £3,097.
The Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said: "Local people deserve to live in safe, high-quality homes, and rogue landlords will not be tolerated in our borough.
"Mr Singh's decision to build illegal units without planning permission is unacceptable. I want to thank our Anti-Fraud Team for building such a robust and compelling case, resulting in a substantial fine."
If you have any concerns about a rental property in Redbridge, please do not hesitate to report it.
