A family of landlords in West London has been ordered to pay £929,621 following one of the largest recent penalties for planning breaches in the private rented sector.

The case, brought by Ealing Council and concluding at Isleworth Crown Court after six years, related to the unlawful conversion of a property on Greenford Avenue into multiple flats without planning permission. Despite enforcement notices being issued, the owners continued to let the units.

Council officers first inspected the property in 2019, discovering it had been converted into five separate rental units. Enforcement notices required the building to be returned to its original condition, but follow-up inspections in 2022 found the breaches had been ignored and all units remained occupied. Council tax records showed rental income continued until July 2025.

The landlords were summoned to court in January 2023, missed several hearings, and later pleaded guilty in June 2023. Despite this, the unlawful lettings continued.

The court ruled that the parents, Jagdishbhai and Minaxiben Patel, were the main beneficiaries of the illegal income. They were issued with a confiscation order of £900,217, alongside fines, costs and victim surcharges. Their adult children, found to be less culpable, were ordered to pay costs and surcharges.

Ealing Council said the outcome sends a strong deterrent message. Councillor Shital Manro, Cabinet Member for Good Growth and New Homes, stated that the council will “use every legal tool available” to punish landlords who knowingly breach planning rules.

The case highlights the serious financial consequences of ignoring planning enforcement and continuing to let unlawfully converted properties.