A landlord has been fined over £43,000 for breaching planning controls and failing to comply with an enforcement notice.
Charles Margulies, of BMR Hemini Ltd, operates over 200 properties in London. In 2022, the company had purchased a house in Putney and added a “substantial extension” to convert it into an HMO.
A Wandsworth Council investigation found this was done without the require planning permission and issued an enforcement notice.
BMR Hemini Ltd claimed it could not comply with this notice, or demolish the extension, as it was at that point occupied by a tenant.
Wandsworth Council pursued the matter through the courts, with a summons ensuring the company demolished the extension some nine months after the notice was issued.
Due to the negative impact the ordeal has had on neighbours, Wandsworth Council continued to pursue the prosecution and in March 2025 both Charles Margulies and BMR Hemini Ltd were convicted at Wimbledon Magistrates Court for their failure to comply with the enforcement notice.
They were fined £16,000, ordered to pay the Council’s legal fees £23,554 as well as paying a victim surcharge of £3,600.
“All of the actions from this landlord clearly show that they cared more about rental income than following the rules,” said Simon Hogg, Wandsworth Council leader.
“The outcome of this case sends a clear message that we will not tolerate breaches of planning control in Wandsworth which ignore the impact such actions have on neighbours."
