Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Illegal Conversions- Why Are They Allowed to Stand?
I was just looking at the recent LCSP minutes and noted two points (below) on conversions. One seems to have to be converted back to a house, the other can remain as flats.
I have never understood why something can be converted to a flat/HMO and just because it has managed to go un-noted for whatever length of time is allowed it may benefit from retrospective permissions to remain as such, even though at the time the work was carried out the planning regulations would have stipulated that the conversion could not go ahead.
Can someone educate me as to why there is such a 'statue of limitations' on what were, and should still be, illegal conversions? What is the difference between these two properties?
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41 Umfreville Road, N4
- The LCSP joined local residents in objecting to an application for a certificate of lawfulness for 4 flats at this address, on the grounds that this property had only recently been converted. However, LBH Planning have agreed to the change of use, stating that the evidence provided ‘on balance’ demonstrates that the flat conversion occurred over 4 years ago.
74 Burgoyne Road, N4
- This property was turned into 4 flats several years ago, without appropriate permissions.
- The LCSP’s objections, along with those of other local residents, were upheld by LBH Planning/Enforcement, and the owner appealed to the Planning Inspectorate.
This appeal has now been dismissed, and the property must revert to its previous configuration of 2 flats
Tags for Forum Posts: HMOs, illegal conversions
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by JJ B on
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It s all of the above !'m afraid!
The law of the land allows it and areas like east Haringey suffer because unscrupulous landlords are allowed to take full advantage of the very poor performing Haringey council. Planning Enforcement in the borough is extremely poor due to poor engagement of councillors and poor leadership, serious lack of resource - both financial and human, possibly corruption as well as ineptitude and incompetence.
The answer the current admin has found to boost/renew some of the human resource in planning and this will take a while to kick in. But lets not be fooled since the cuts are going to continue. It may be why the current "leaders" in the council are flogging the place in desperation. They have no faith in local people being able to help themselves.
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Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on
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"The law of the land allows it and areas like east Haringey suffer because unscrupulous landlords are allowed to take full advantage of the very poor performing Haringey council."
This describes the very frustrating experience myself and a neighbour on the other side had when trying to block a BTL landlord turning the terrace next door into 6 studio flats. Unfortuanately we were overruled for reasons I still don't understand. It had been it was rented out as a perfectly normal house for years before, now we have anywhere up to 15 people crammed into the same space On top of that I now I have a transient population moving in out of the flats because the rents have been increased from £600 to £750 in the last 18 months - no doubt the Landlord is taking advantage of the renting demand. i know this beacuse I did get to know one of the people renting, who turned out to be the perfect neighbour but had to move out after 18months beacuse of all the rent hikes. He was friendly, helpful and a good neighbour eg the only making sure the front and back gardens were tidy, as the owner didn't give a tuppence. Maybe this is sounding like "first World problems" but the general effect (apart from the transient population) is mess and pressure on the already burdened local school and health systems. I really wonder what Harringey council are up to sometimes? Looking forward to see how local election results pan out
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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It's national law. When they originally passed the law it was set at ten years but through some clever legal work by developers it was set to "effectively" four.
After putting up the new private dwellings at Woodberry Down, Berkeley Homes erected fences and gates (which they close all the time) around them. Hackney did not give them planning permission for this but then they did not apply either. They did not apply for planning permission because they knew it would be refused. They are just going to wait four years and apply for a certificate of lawfulness. Well, they were before I asked Dianne Abbott to look into it. An objection is lodged with Hackney council's planning department so now they can't.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on
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Thanks guys, so not a lot we can do other than make sure we lodge a complaint prior to 4 years.
This really does go back to a point I have made a lot over time, that enforcement needs to be punitive on the person being enforced (with money going back into financing the enforcement function). Unless (as I believe recently happened) a landlord was made to turn an HMO/ flat back to its original status and any income confiscated- I guess under proceeds of crime legislation, it will not stop...
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I agree. In the current climate it is really down to us to make a bloody nuisance of ourselves until someone takes action just to get us to shut up!
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Something I've learned over my legal action in St Ann's is that the right lawyer is amazing, you just have to pony up for their fees. Also, it's possible to crowdsource some of the funding for this legal action from generous and concerned members of HoL.
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Permalink Reply by Jamie To on
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http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/11090929._My_neighbour_is...
Media attention today. We will see what Haringey Council will have to say.
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It isn't only with HMO's and illegal conversions and extensions. Along Tottenham High rd a lot of the GOOD work done with Lottery Heritage funding has been reversed by shops removing the renewed frontages and putting in awful 'new' ones.
On Philip lane the Botany Bay's brilliant traditional facade has been ripped out and covered by extremely unappealing awnings and gawdy plastic signage. This has been subject of appeal but no ACTION! It is easier to go begging developers to build build build!
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You'd think that would be fraud and a police matter. The fraud being committed for material gain is surely enough.
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I am fed up of living in this hell. Residents are run out of their own homes due to Haringey Council's unreasonable decision making.
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Here is an article in today's Haringey Independent.
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/11090929._My_neighbour_is...
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