![\"\"](\"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/KentOnline140120-300x226.png\")
The owners of a former convent have been fined \u00a34,000 and ordered to pay \u00a310,000 costs after they continued using it as an illegal hostel.<\/h3>\nThe owners of a former convent have been fined \u00a34,000 and ordered to pay \u00a310,000 costs after they continued using it as an illegal hostel.<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
KentOnline writes:<\/p>\n
Nuns used to occupy the Convent of Mercy, Sycamore Drive, Swanley, but in recent years its residents have been more problematic.<\/p>\n
Owners Bhupinderjeet Kullar and Narinder Kullar were issued with two planning enforcement notices by Sevenoaks council in December 2016, requiring them to cease use of the property as a hostel.<\/p>\n
An order was obtained from Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court following repeated anti-social behaviour to close the building for three months while concerns were addressed by the leaseholder.<\/p>\n
Mr and Mrs Kullar were fined a combined total of \u00a34,000 at Woolwich Crown Court on December 2 for failure to comply with the notices and ordered to pay a further \u00a310,000 costs.<\/p>\n
Leaseholder Mustafa Kemal Mustafa, who ran the hostel, was also fined \u00a315,000 in August for failure to comply with the notices.<\/p>\n
It follows numerous official actions dating back to 2014.<\/p>\n
Abatement notices were served due to foul smelling bonfires and unacceptable noise in 2014 and 2016, while the police have repeatedly attended…<\/p>\n
Following fire safety concerns, Kent Fire & Rescue Service issued an improvement notice in 2016 and a prohibition notice a year later\u2026.<\/p>\n
Numerous safety notices were also served on the owners by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after issues were raised about the safety of the electrical supply.<\/p>\n
The council’s planning team manager, Alison Salter, praised her colleagues and all those involved in bringing forward the prosecution.<\/p>\n
She said the fine sent a clear message the authority will not tolerate people \u2018who ride roughshod over the law\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u2018Mr and Mrs Kullar did not comply with our planning enforcement notices for a number of years,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n
\u2018Only by taking action in the courts was it possible to close this unlawful hostel.\u2019<\/p>\n