A landlord in West London has been fined over £43,000 following the illegal extension of a property designated as a house in multiple occupation (HMO). Charles Margulies, representing BMR Hemini Ltd, was found guilty of breaching planning regulations after Wandsworth Council conducted an investigation into the property's compliance with local planning laws.
The case stems from BMR Hemini Ltd's acquisition of a residence in Putney in 2022. Without securing the necessary planning permission, the company proceeded to extend the property to accommodate more tenants as an HMO. Neighbours raised concerns about the alterations, prompting the council to issue a retrospective planning application which was ultimately rejected. Subsequently, an enforcement notice was served, demanding the demolition of the unauthorised extension. Wandsworth Council deemed the extension as "overbearing, creating an increased sense of enclosure and visual intrusion" for adjacent properties.
Despite the enforcement notice, BMR Hemini Ltd appealed the planning refusal and chose to move tenants into the property. When this appeal was dismissed by a planning inspector, the company argued that it could not dismantle the extension due to the presence of tenants.
The council reported that the landlord only began to comply with the demolition order nine months after the deadline indicated in the enforcement notice, which followed a court summons for non-compliance. The authorities pursued legal action, citing the detrimental effect the situation had on local residents.
On March 24, the case was heard at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court, where Margulies and BMR Hemini Ltd were found in violation of the enforcement order. They were collectively fined £43,154, comprising a £16,000 fine, £23,554 in legal fees incurred by the council, and a victim surcharge of £3,600.
Simon Hogg, the Labour council leader, commented on the case, stating, "All of the actions from this landlord clearly show that they cared more about rental income than following the rules. The outcome of this case sends a clear message that we will not tolerate breaches of planning control in Wandsworth which ignore the impact such actions have on neighbours."
Source: Noah Wire Services