Turning a semi-detached home into five “micro-flats” without permission means a landlord must pay out more than £280,000.

On October 30 at Isleworth Crown Court, Krzysztof Pogwizd, of Rasehill Close in Rickmansworth, was ordered to pay a confiscation order and fine after Ealing Council said he “consistently” ignored warnings to return the Dorchester Road property to a single home.

According to the London council, the “micro-flats” lacked planning permission and breached “multiple” planning policies.

Councillor Shital Manro, who is responsible for new housing in the borough, said the council takes “the strongest possible action” so that private tenants are protected and can live in “safe, well-maintained homes”.

“As the demand for housing continues to grow in the borough, it’s more important than ever that we support landlords to provide safe, high-quality homes for their tenants,” he added.

“The overwhelming majority of landlords are law-abiding and play a vital part in the local housing market, but a tiny minority continue to put their tenants at risk by forcing them to live in cramped, sub-standard living conditions.

“Anyone looking to make substantial changes to their homes must seek planning approval before doing so.”

An enforcement notice was issued, ordering Mr Podwizd to stop letting the home as five self-contained flats and remove additional kitchens, bathrooms, and drainage connections, in early 2022.

He submitted a planning application to convert it into four flats that July, which was refused a month later.

As there had been no appeal, the council apparently expected the 50-year-old to comply but planning enforcement and police officers had to get a warrant to inspect the property on October 6 that year and found that it was still occupied by multiple tenants.

Mr Pogwizd was therefore summoned to Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted to breaching the enforcement notice, and then the crown court where he was ordered to pay a confiscation order, fine, surcharge, and costs totalling £282,915.07.

The figure reflected the amount of profit the Rickmansworth resident had made letting the flats after being told to stop.

In March 2023, Mr Pogwizd obtained planning permission for the legal conversion of the property into three self-contained flats.