The landlord must pay up in three months or else spend 30 months in jail By Victoria Munro
The illegally converted building in Grove Road (credit: WF Council)
A rogue Walthamstow landlord was ordered to pay thousands in fines and surrender his illicit profits after ignoring a council warning for years.
Zulfiqar Ahmed was issued an enforcement notice by Waltham Forest Council in 2013 after illegally converting a ground-floor shop with a detached outbuilding into two flats.
The flats in Grove Road failed to meet legal floor-space requirements, while the second building especially was deemed “poor quality accommodation” by a judge.
On 17th October, Thames Magistrates’ Court ordered Ahmed to pay back £251,582 in earnings, the council’s legal fees and a £12,000 fine – or else spend 30 months in prison.
Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, cabinet member for community safety, said: “Justice in this case was a long time coming, not aided by Mr Ahmed’s continued refusal to take responsibility for his actions.
“That said, the large penalty incurred represents a just result considering the seriousness of the crime.
“Let’s not forget Mr Ahmed made a hefty profit from the dishonest and deliberate provision of poor-quality housing. I hope this sends a message to any landlord in Waltham Forest prepared to take advantage of their tenants such a greedy and brazen manner.”
The council’s planning enforcement officers realised Ahmed had failed to comply with the original notices after he submitted two new property licence applications.
They visited the site in May 2019 but Ahmed’s journey to court was delayed by an unsuccessful Abuse of Process argument from his lawyers.
Ahmed eventually pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an enforcement notice in March 2021.
At the sentencing this month, Judge A Gordon gave Ahmed three months to pay up or face 30 months in prison, remarking that his offending “undermines the entire system of planning control”.
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