The owner of an illegal Barking HMO has been fined thousands of pounds at court.

The three bedroom house in Somerby Road had as many as eight people from eight separate households living in it despite having no permission to be used as an HMO.

In August 2019, landlord Nadeem Anwar applied to license the home as an HMO with Barking and Dagenham Council.

At the time, the planning enforcement team informed him that planning permission was needed for the home to be used in this way.

But due to the Covid pandemic, the home could not be inspected until September 2020.

During this inspection, it was found that the house still had multiple occupants who shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Investigations showed that the property was being managed by All in One Properties Ltd of Ley Street, Ilford.

Correspondence was sent to both the management company and Anwar reminding them of the breach of planning regulations.

Anwar eventually made a retrospective planning application to retain multiple occupancy use at the property in February 2021. However, this was refused in April 2021.

In July, later that year, an enforcement notice was issued requesting the end of multiple occupancy and the removal of alterations enabling the change of use from a single home.

However, when officers returned in March 2022, they discovered that the property was still being used as a HMO.

As a result, Anwar was summoned to Barkingside Magistrates Court on 18 March 2023, where he failed to attend. 

An arrest warrant was issued and he eventually surrendered to custody.

On 13 May 2024 Anwar and All in One Properties Ltd appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the requirements of the enforcement notice.

Anwar was fined £400 and ordered to pay costs of £2,000. Additionally, a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act was made in the sum of £2,960.

All in One Properties Ltd was fined £2,000 with costs of £2,781.50.