A landlord in north London has been fined £75,000 plus costs after he was found guilty of illegally letting two flats.
George Nathanel, the director of Zenobia properties, was advertising the flats on on Grove Road, North Finchley, on sites such as Airbnb and Booking.com for short-term holiday rentals.
The properties had been granted planning permission by the council in January 2016 to be used as “a self-contained, single household”, however, the council found evidence that both flats were being illegally advertised online.
Evidence provided by the prosecution showed at least 220 days of occupancy across the two flats in the first 10 months of 2024.
Rules limit the period of time a property can be rented out without planning permission to 90 days a year.
Nathanel was first issued a notice by Barnet Council in November 2023 to cease use of the properties after neighbours urged the council to investigate a potential breach of planning control, citing significant noise disturbances and loud noises into the early hours of the morning.
One neighbour who appeared in court described the short-term rentals as “stressful and devastating”, adding that they had a “detrimental impact on his life, his work, and mental health”, “severely impacting his ability his ability to sleep”, and making living in the neighbouring property “unbearable.”
Claiming he was living in Russia with his children and awaiting an operation, Nathanel did not appear at court hearings. He initially claimed that he was unaware of any short-term rentals via online platforms and said the stays were “long-term tenants.”
However, reviews left on Airbnb describe him as “an amazing, attentive, and responsive host.” The property remains live on Airbnb to this date.
Nathanel was sentenced on June 26, 2025, where he was found guilty of failing to comply with the requirements of a Breach of Condition Notice issued by the council. He was ordered to pay a fine of £75,000 and council costs of £5,400. A victim surcharge of £2,000 was also levied.
Cllr Ross Houston, Cabinet Member for Homes and Regeneration, said: “We gave Mr Nathanel ample opportunity to stop using the properties as short term rentals, but were left with no alternative but to take him to court when he didn’t stop.
“Barnet Council clamps down hard on rogue landlords and where they don’t cooperate, we will always bring them to justice.
“We would like to thank the residents who brought this case to our attention. This is a great result for the neighbours whose lives were made a misery by the illegal letting of these flats on Airbnb and Booking.com. The prosecution and huge fine highlights the seriousness of the case and will be a strong deterrent to other rogue landlords from breaking the rules in the borough of Barnet.”
Airbnbs and similar short-term lets have been on the rise in London. A study led by Cambridge University at the end of last year indicated that a 10 percent increase in active Airbnb rentals in London would correspond to an additional 1,000 robberies per year across the city.
It is estimated that there are around 12,000 short-term lets in central London alone.
