London borough secures court win after man rented out garden shed

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Local Government

A London borough has scored a court win against a man who flouted planning rules and rented out a garden shed.

The London borough of Hillingdon - which has set up a 'beds in sheds' taskforce - launched the investigation after being tipped off by a resident who was also a local council 'Street Champion'.

Jamal Uddin of 36 Gloucester Road, London, was ordered to pay £15,377 for using the outbuilding as accommodation.

He was fined £5,400 for breaching a house of multiple occupation licence (HMO), £6,600 for failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice ordering him to stop using the outbuilding as accommodation and ordered to pay council costs of £3,377.

Uddin was told by the council that he must stop renting out the shed in the garden of Turnpike Lane, Uxbridge. After failing to comply with an enforcement notice, Uddin was found guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 3 July.

Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling, Keith Burrows, said: “Renting sheds or outbuildings not only fall foul of planning regulations but also the accommodation is often cramped and unsuitable for someone to live in. Anyone caught flouting these planning laws should be aware that the council will take action and they face ending up in court and being hit with a hefty fine, as given in this case.”

A further prosecution on the same day also saw a man facing a four-figure bill for illegally re-developing a house at 9 Princes Park Parade, Hayes, into seven self-contained flats as well as renting out a ‘bed in a shed’.

Rupa Sodha, was fined £3,500 and council costs of £2,079. The planning law flouter had been renting each flat for £180 per week.

Hillingdon Council has put together a dedicated team of officers, including officers in planning enforcement, private sector housing and legal services to develop a clear strategy to tackle the beds in sheds issue.

It's tasked with co-ordinating robust, fast track enforcement processes, which pursue individual cases from investigation all the way through to prosecution, and to publicise such actions to prevent new cases arising.