'Beds in Sheds' Crackdown Continues

Couple caught renting out their outhouse to family

A couple from Southall have had more than £11,000 of funds confiscated by the courts for illegally using an outhouse building in their garden as a rental property.

Officers from Ealing Council’s outhouses team discovered the couple were using the building as an unauthorised residential unit, after finding a fully fitted kitchen and bathroom during an inspection of the outhouse. The council issued the couple with an enforcement notice, which required them to remove all kitchen and bathroom facilities from the outhouse building.

When the officers returned to re-inspect the property, they found evidence a family were living in the outhouse, including beds, toys and other personal effects.

Mr Mubashar Ahmed, owner of 137 Trinity Road, Southall, appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court on 4 April 2013, where he pleaded guilty to the charge of not complying with a council enforcement notice. The matter was committed to Isleworth Crown Court for confiscation proceedings and sentencing.

On Monday (5 August), the Isleworth Crown Court confiscated £11,654 from Mr Ahmed, which he had earned from the illegal rental of the outbuilding. He was also ordered to pay a £500 fine, £3,085.68 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Council leader Julian Bell, said: “This is a great result for the council’s outhouses team, and demonstrates how effective their investigations have been in detecting and prosecuting this type of illegal activity in the borough. We will continue to inspect properties and issue enforcement notices to individuals illegally using outhouses, and will take firm legal action when these notices are ignored.”

The council’s outhouses team inspects properties across the borough, to detect the illegal use of an outbuilding as sleeping accommodation without planning permission.

Residents concerned about an outhouse in their area are urged to report this confidentially online at the Ealing Council website, or by emailing the outhouses team at outhouses@ealing.gov.uk

August 9th 2013