A Brent-based landlord has been handed a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay £20,000 in fines and compensation after unlawfully evicting a tenant and ignoring a longstanding planning enforcement notice from Barnet Council. The verdict, delivered at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on 27 March 2025, highlights the increasing scrutiny faced by unregulated lettings—but some argue it also raises concerns over fairness for compliant landlords facing rising compliance pressure.
Council enforcement dating back years
Qamil Cama, a building company owner, had been renting out a property on Crescent Road, Finchley, without proper authorisation. According to court documents, the house had previously been subject to a planning enforcement notice served in November 2017 after inspectors discovered that the building works on-site did not comply with planning permission originally granted in 2012. The permission had allowed for the construction of garages and a basement—not residential accommodation.
Despite that, Cama converted the structure into a dwelling and let it out. The tenant, who gave evidence from behind a screen during the two-day trial, said she had moved into the property in September 2023 under a verbal cash agreement of £800 per month, inclusive of bills.
Things deteriorated when Cama allegedly began demanding additional cash weekly for utilities. The tenant described a series of increasingly aggressive encounters, stating that the landlord would enter the property early in the morning, demand payment, and ultimately evict her by force in April 2024. “He pushed me in the chest and threw my things onto the street,” she claimed.
Planning breaches and aggressive tactics
In court, Cama was found guilty on three counts: failing to comply with the 2017 Enforcement Notice, and two separate breaches under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation activity. Additionally, he must pay £10,000 in compensation to the tenant and another £10,000 in costs and penalties.
The presiding judge remarked that Cama was “lucky the prisons were full,” calling him a “rogue landlord” in sentencing on 15 May 2025. Barnet Council has also indicated that the property may still be occupied and could be subject to a second prosecution—or even demolition—if planning non-compliance continues.
Councillor Ross Houston, Cabinet Member for Homes and Regeneration, praised the outcome, stating: “This prosecution sends out a clear message that planning regulations are there for a reason. Anyone intent on flouting the rules in Barnet will be punished accordingly.” He added that the success was due to a “cross working collaboration between the council’s planning enforcement and housing regulatory services teams.”
Questions for responsible landlords
While no landlord would condone Cama’s alleged behaviour, some in the sector have raised concerns over how such high-profile cases may further tighten the net for responsible landlords—especially those operating in areas like Barnet, where regulation and enforcement are intensifying.
“It’s absolutely right that rogue operators are dealt with,” said John Sanderson, a buy-to-let investor with properties in north London. “But the danger is that we all get lumped in together. One guy ignores planning rules, and suddenly we’re all facing extra inspections, rising license fees, and stricter conditions.”
He continued, “Most landlords I know go out of their way to keep tenants safe and happy. But local authorities are being handed more power to crack down across the board—and that can make the legitimate business of letting property feel more like a minefield.”
With talk of demolition orders and stricter planning enforcement, Barnet’s stance is clear. Yet it leaves open questions about how councils will balance punishing truly bad actors while not discouraging good landlords from continuing to invest in and provide vital rental housing.
