A Cricklewood landlord’s dodgy dealings have finally caught up with him as Barnet Council fine him for a record-breaking amount.

In 2006, Saied Rahmdezfouli ignored the council’s refusal of his plans to divide 11 Quantock Gardens in nine flats which were ‘substandard in size and poorly designed’ and let them to tenants.

After lengthy investigations and court proceedings, he was ordered to pay over £700,000 in a sentencing at Wood Green Crown Court last Wednesday (September 21).

Alongside paying back £555,954.49, which was the profit generated from his criminal conduct, he will also have to pay a £65,000 fine for the planning offences and £80,000 in legal costs.

If Mr Rahmdezfouli fails to pay the money within three months, he faces a prison sentence of five years and four months.

Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Richard Cornelius, said: “I am delighted that after a lengthy legal battle, the justice system has supported us in making sure that anyone who flouts our planning laws is suitably punished.

“Planning permission rules exist to ensure everyone in our borough has a safe and healthy place to live, and we cannot allow anyone to breach these rules by providing substandard accommodation.

“We will always do our best to ensure that this illegal activity is stopped as soon as possible.”

The council served a planning enforcement notice against Mr Rahmdezfouli in March 2007 which was followed up by legal action.

He made numerous court appearances over the years, while continuing to rent out the flats at his property.

The property was confiscated after he was found guilty of the planning offences at Wood Green Crown Court in August last year.

The council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) team of financial investigators investigated the case to identify and calculate the criminal benefit Mr Rahmdezfouli had received from rental income.

CAFT conducted their investigation according to laws laid out in the Proceeds of Crime Act.