An individual has been ordered to pay £66,000 over an illegal house conversion.  

Dragan Milinkovic, born in 1977,  owner of a house in Cuckoo Dene, Hanwell, was found to have converted his property into three sub-standard flats around five years ago without planning permission. As a result he now has to pay a fine of £2,700, costs of £4,762 along with a £66,000 confiscation order.

The order’s amount reflected the money was illegally obtained from the conversion through rent collected from the properties after the enforcement notice’s compliance date had expired.

Mr Milinkovic pleaded guilty to the charges but during sentencing, HH Judge Donne QC added: “Your offence is aggravated by the period of time in which you did not comply and the fact you ignored the caution letter.”

It was reported that in 2010 Mr Milinkovic converted the house into flats without permission. The next year, the planning enforcement team issued a notice urging him to stop using the house as three flats.

He did not action this notice and so the council decided to prosecute him after issuing a letter of caution.

Pat Hayes, the council’s Executive Director, regeneration and housing, said: “The council provides lots of information on the regulations which must be followed when converting a building to ensure it is safe, habitable and does not impact on others. This landlord has not only not followed the regulations but he has also ignored a notice telling him to put things right.

“Mr Milinkovic was given every opportunity to make his property legal but out of greed chose to ignore the council, leaving us no option but to take legal action.

“I am pleased that a really significant fine of £66,000 has been imposed and hopefully this will deter others who think this type of offence only attracts a small penalty. I would also like to thank the council staff who pursued this case so diligently."  

Mr Milinkovic has six months to pay the £66,000 fine otherwise he will face a 21-month prison sentence.