I’m being taken to court by ‘bully’ council for painting my house grey & putting in new windows – I won’t back down
A HOMEOWNER was taken to court by his "bully" council for painting his house grey and installing plastic window frames.
Aneel Zafar has been locked in a four-year dispute with officials over his property makeover, and has spent £15,000 in the process, but he has vowed to never back down.
The 32-year-old has already fought his local authority at North Staffordshire Justice Centre and even the High Court.
But Aneel, from Stoke-on-Trent, is still refusing to replace his uPVC windows or repaint his home and is taking his case to the Planning Inspectorate.
He said: "They've been trying to bully me. Unless I do something about it I am going to be prosecuted again and again and again.
"But I am not going to give in. The council wants me to put in wooden windows - it is on a power trip."
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Aneel bought his home on Victoria Park Road in Tunstall in 2014 and splashed £20,000 on having the new windows fitted four years later.
But he was unaware that in 2007, the area was given "conservation" status to protect its "rich history and character".
It means permission needs to be granted for any building work, including the installation of new windows.
Because Aneel failed to apply, he faced action from the council.
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He said: "My old wooden windows had holes in them and air was getting into the house.
"I did not think I was doing anything wrong in replacing them as 75 per cent of my road has uPVC windows. But the council prosecuted me.
"When I had my windows changed, the council said it sent me a letter saying I had three months to appeal. I did not receive that letter.
"After the three months, the appeal period had gone.
";Then I started receiving enforcement letters threatening to take me to court."
In 2020, Aneel was hauled before magistrates where his solicitor asked officials to produce the Article 4 document which gives his area conservation status.
He claims he was told the council had "lost it".
"I am now contesting the whole conservation area status and Article 4 as I believe it was never put in place properly," he added.
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"I think the council has made a massive mistake."
Stoke-on-Trent City Council said it was unable to comment at this time.