A landlord who illegally turned a London property into 13 flats has been hit by nearly £200,000 in fines, costs and a confiscation order.
Inanc Elitok pleaded guilty to ignoring two previous notices at a hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in a case brought by Waltham Forest council.
Clyde Loakes, the council deputy leader, says: “Even after being given two enforcement notices for failing to comply with planning regulations, this landlord thought the law didn’t apply to him. He was given plenty of time to act and he didn’t, instead he kept raking in the money and thought that we had forgotten about him.”
The court was told that Elitok had first been ordered to knock down a third-floor rear extension to the properties in Walthamstow.
The following year he was told to stop letting the houses out as flats after an inspection revealed that the family homes had been split into individual apartments.
But more than five years later it was discovered that Elitok - who let the flats through his company Elitok Properties Limited - had ignored both the enforcement notices.
At the sentencing hearing Elitok was fined £20,000 in total - £10,000 for each offence.
He also confirmed a proceeds of crime confiscation order in the sum of £140,000 based on the estimated five years rent that he had made.
He was ordered to pay Waltham Forest council’s costs of £17,661 and a victim surcharge of £181 within three months.
Elitok was warned that confiscation order must be paid in three months or he would face an 18-month prison sentence. The fine and costs must also be paid within three months with a 12 months prison sentence if he did not pay in time.
In the meantime, the court learned that Elitok has brought in new planning consultants to assist with a further planning application to remedy the breach of planning control.
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Ok I read that 13 separate units of accommodation estimated income of £140k over 5 years.
I think its very strange that it would be at estimated figure , is there not annual returns that states exactly what the income was and if income tax was paid on it, we are never told this.
So is this £42. pw per unit of accommodation in London ?.
£42. X 13 x 52 = £28’392. pa
X 5 = £141’960. ( 5 years).
Sorry I missed out on mats. Lol
Looks like he as getting away with it. Probably estimated since he wouldnot co operate. No doubt he will go into liquidation.
Sorry Looks like was getting away with it, I think he may be able to keep his extension up since it has been 5 years since.
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