A woman who used her home as a hotel, and then illegally converted it into flats, has been ordered by a court to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Last month, Ealing Council successfully concluded a long running planning enforcement case against Sanaa Al-Hadethee, following years of using her property as a hotel without authorisation and refusing to comply with enforcement notices, which is a criminal offence.
On 26 September at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Ms Al-Hadethee, of Chelsea Manor Street, Chelsea, was ordered to pay a total of more than £430,000.
Illegal conversion
The court heard that in 2017, the property at 76 Horsenden Lane South in Perivale – a 6-bed end of terrace house when she bought it – was operating as an unauthorised hotel. Following site inspections and investigations, the council issued Ms Al-Hadethee with a planning enforcement notice in April 2018, requiring her to stop using the property as a hotel and to remove the extra bathrooms and kitchens that had been installed.
Following the notice, Ms Al-Hadethee stopped using the property as a hotel. However, during a later compliance visit in August 2020, it was found that, without planning permission, the property had been converted into 10 flats and all the bathrooms and kitchens were still in place. The flats were being let to tenants on long-term rental agreements. That led to the council issuing a second enforcement notice in September 2020.
That notice was appealed by Ms Al-Hadethee, but her appeal was dismissed by the national Planning Inspectorate in May 2022. She was ordered to bring the property into compliance with the law by November of that year – by converting it back into a home. She was then unsuccessful in an attempt to have the inspectorate’s decision judicially reviewed.
Paying the price
Following a lengthy period of adjourned hearings, a wait for the outcome of the appeal against the second enforcement notice, and delays in the courts following the pandemic, Ms Al-Hadethee was eventually convicted at Aldersgate House Nightingale Court in June 2024. The case was then referred to the crown court for sentencing, and the proceedings concluded last month where Ms Al-Hadethee was ordered to pay £405,728.08 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, plus a £5,000 fine and £20,000 in prosecution costs.
Provide safe homes
Councillor Shital Manro, the council’s cabinet member for good growth and new homes, said: “This case shows our commitment to protecting residents by enforcing planning rules and ensuring unlawful development isn’t profitable. The outcome reflects the seriousness of these breaches.
“Most landlords act responsibly and play a vital role in the local housing market, but there is a small minority who are willing to risk safety for a quick pay out. Anyone planning significant changes to their property must seek approval first. We will continue taking strong action to protect private tenants and ensure they live in safe, well-maintained homes.”
Report it
If you are concerned that a property in your area has breached planning regulations, you can report it via the council’s website.
Visit the council’s website for more information on planning rules and applications
