A landlord in Dagenham has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 after repeatedly failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice served by Barking and Dagenham Council.
Mr Ijaz Hussain, owner of 92 Burnside Road, was found to have unlawfully converted the single-family home into two self-contained flats without planning permission.
The council’s Planning Enforcement Team first identified the breach in May 2020.
Mr Hussain was given the opportunity to submit a retrospective planning application or return the property to its original condition, but took no action.
ENFORCEMENT NOTICE
In December 2021, the council issued an enforcement notice requiring him to remove the second kitchen and internal alterations within six months.
After his appeal was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate in April 2023, a follow-up inspection in January 2024 found the property remained in breach.
Legal proceedings began in April 2024. On 3 June 2025, Mr Hussain appeared at Romford Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty. He was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay a £4,000 victim surcharge and £6,142 in legal costs to the council — a total of £20,142, to be paid within three months.
UPHOLDING STANDARDS
Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said: “This case demonstrates that while we are always willing to work with residents to resolve planning issues, we will not tolerate those who ignore the law.
“Our Planning Enforcement Team is committed to ensuring that housing standards are upheld and that our communities are protected from unlawful development.”
