Two landlords who unlawfully converted a family home into flats without planning permission have been ordered to pay over £100,000.

In a long-running case, Dushanti Peter and Jayakody Perera were found to have illegally sub-divided a property in Barking, east London, into two self-contained flats. Despite being served with an enforcement notice requiring them to restore the property to a single-family dwelling, the pair failed to comply.

The council’s planning enforcement officers resumed their investigation in August 2022 after discovering the owners had returned to the UK, having previously moved abroad. A subsequent inspection confirmed the property remained unlawfully converted, and the owners were summoned to Barkingside Magistrates’ Court in November 2023.

Despite pleading not guilty – claiming the property had since been reverted – they were convicted in February 2024. The case was then referred to SCrown Court for sentencing and a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing.

Now the court has fined the pair £12,000 for breaching the enforcement notice. In addition, POCA Confiscation Orders totalling £88,657.59 were granted, representing the rental income they had unlawfully gained between 2018 and 2023.

A Barking council spokesperson says: “We will not tolerate landlords who flout planning laws for personal gain. The defendants profited significantly while ignoring legal requirements and undermining housing standards in our borough. We’re pleased the courts have recognised the seriousness of this offence and ensured the proceeds of their unlawful activity have been recovered.”