Insurance News Archive

Landlord fined for lack of planning permission

Written by Jenny Smith

Buy to let insurance customers should ensure they seek planning permission before carrying out work to expand the home, following the fining of a London property owner.

Mukesh Andani, 55, was fined £10,000 and costs of £2,571 at magistrates at Inner London Crown Court after adding a fourth storey extension to his home.

In addition the court said that if he does not pay the money within seven days he could face a jail term, which could be a warning for buy to let insurance customers.

Noemi Byrd, prosecuting, said that planning officers saw that work was being carried out at the property after the roof of the house had been removed.

"This is no isolated breach of planning control. Andani owns a number of residential properties in London and has two previous convictions," she added.

Judge Roger Chapple said that the breach was "very deliberate" and caused upset in the area of the property.

Buy to let insurance customers in Luton have also recently been warned that the council will be increasing the spot checks it makes on rented properties in the coming months.

26 Aug 2009