An investment company has been ordered to pay tens of thousands of pounds for illegally creating two flats above a shop without the required planning permission.

In 2015, Barking and Dagenham Council’s Planning Enforcement Team became aware that a flat above a shop on 588A Longbridge Road, Barking had been converted into two separate self-contained flats without planning permission.

An Enforcement Notice was issued in December 2015 stating that the property should be returned back to a single dwelling within three months.

The Special Investigations Team visited the property in November 2016 to check that the changes had been made, but the property remained divided into two flats.

Further investigation revealed that the property was owned by MSA Global Investments Ltd (Shah Zaib Akhtar) and was being managed by Star Lettings Ltd, a real estate agency operated by Talib Hussain.

Following contact between the council and both companies, the property was restored back to its original format in July 2017. The owner and agent were informed that no further action would be taken but the Notice remained in place.

The council’s Planning Enforcement and Special Investigations Team revisited the property in 2021 following an application being made and subsequently withdrawn to convert the property into a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO).

On visiting the property, officers discovered that it had once again been divided into self-contained apartments with separate kitchens, bathrooms and additional internal doors.

On 15 November 2022, Mr Akhtar and Mr Hussain pleaded guilty at Barkingside Magistrates Court, on behalf of both companies, to the offence of Failing to Comply with the Requirements of the Enforcement Notice which still remained in place.

On Friday 23 October 2023, they were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court and received:

MSA Global Investments Ltd: Fined £4,900 with costs to Barking and Dagenham Council of £1,596 and a Victim Surcharge of £190. A confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act was also made in the sum of £54,807.69. All to be paid within three months.

Star Lettings Ltd: Fined £2,000 with costs to Barking and Dagenham Council of £684 and a Victim Surcharge of £190. A confiscation Order was made in the sum of £5,480.76p.  All to be paid within three months.



Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: “I don’t understand why these landlords thought they would get away with this when they had been warned.

“We expect landlords to follow the rules and this outcome shows that if you don’t, we will take action.”