Warrant for landlord in building breach

A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of a strictly Orthodox landlord fined £40,000 for ignoring a council demand to remove an illegal roof extension.

Michael Scharf, former director of Sternglade Ltd, failed to turn up to a hearing at Thames Magistrates Court earlier this month. The case relates to a large Victorian villa which is being let out as flats in the Northwold and Cazenove conservation area of Hackney.

According to Hackney Council, the roof had been extended unacceptably to the rear and the side of the building “in terms of design and scale”.

The council originally took enforcement action in 2009, ordering the demolition of the roof extension by March of the following year. When this did not happen, the council prosecuted.

Sternglade pleaded guilty to failure to comply with a council enforcement notice and was ordered to pay £4,700 in fines and costs.

The developers then received planning permission for an acceptable alternative to the development — but did not act on it.

Hackney launched a second prosecution and the case against the company finished this month. The extension is now being demolished.

As well as the £40,000 fine, Sternglade was ordered to pay the council’s costs of £1,760 and a victim surcharge of £170. Mr Scharf was charged with the same offence.

Mr Scharf is believed to have held a senior position with the Kedassia kashrut authority. A Kedassia spokesman refused to comment.

Councillor Guy Nicholson, Hackney’s cabinet member for planning, business and investment, said: “This company not only ignored the council’s enforcement notice. Even when they had the chance to correct the works they didn’t.”

Companies House records that Mr Scharf’s directorship of Sternglade was terminated in November 2016.