‘Your house looks like love island’
Owner feels targeted by neighbours but says he’s done nothing wrong
Friday, 10th January — By Daisy Clague
The house in Hungerford Road at the centre of a dispute between neighbours – opponents say it looks like the Love Island dating show villa
A HOUSE renovation on a street of Victorian terraces is “like the set of Love Island”, say disgruntled neighbours, who claim that the council is failing to enforce planning regulations in a uniform way.
Sold for just over £1million in 2023, the five-bedroom property in leafy Hungerford Road, Lower Holloway, was in a state of disrepair and has since been spruced up, including with bright lights installed on its front façade and along each step that leads up to the door.
“The lighting is completely inappropriate,” said neighbour Debbie Sell. “The house is lit up like a building from Las Vegas. Why has the council not forced the owner to comply with the planning consent? Would the council be happy for us all to behave in this manner?”
She added: “This house is conspicuously different in this row of two dozen terraced house.
“All the other houses have complied with planning regulations resulting in a uniform appearance.
“This house sticks out like a sore thumb.”
According to Ms Sell, as many as 10 households in the street have written to Islington Council alleging that the new owner – Jamil Hussain, an estate agent who is now living in the house with his family – has not met planning guidelines with the size of his windows, extension, air conditioning units and external strip lighting.
In an email to planning department, one resident – who wished to remain anonymous – wrote that they did “not want to live next to the set of Love Island”, adding: “If I did want to live there I would move to Chelsea.”
They said: “The developer’s general disregard for planning regulations in a conservation area and the council’s reluctance for enforcement is upsetting and puzzling to us.
“Everyone else on Hungerford Road has to strictly follow the rules with failed planning application after failed planning application.”
Another neighbour, Manuela Terranova, whose application for a parking bay in front of her house was rejected, said: “This man was allowed to do all these things that are very visible – the council allowed these changes without saying a word.”
Mr Hussain told the Tribune that it may be the sunken seating area and fire pit in his back garden that triggered the Love Island comparison.
“I’ll take it as a compliment,” he joked, adding that he knew the neighbours were not happy with him after the year-long refurbishment.
But he said he had not heard their particular complaints about the lights on the façade and that Islington Council had in fact prevented some of his plans.
“They were having luck with the council – every small to large complaint raised was enforced,” he said. “There are a lot of things that I decided weren’t worth doing, because everyone’s just going to get on to me about it. Everything we did was within planning and building regulations.”
Mr Hussain had wanted to put in a front dormer window in his loft – to raise the ceiling height inside – but said he did not pursue it after neighbours complained to the council.
“Did I feel like I was targeted? Yeah. Did I kick up a fuss about it? No, but you do get that feeling that people aren’t happy with you when you smile at someone and say ‘good morning’, and they give you a disgruntled look back,” he said.
“But it’s fine, it’s all right – I’m thick-skinned, I just get on with it. I’ve done a lot to the house – I’ve brought the house to life.
“The refurbishment may not be to someone’s taste, but if someone’s done something that I don’t like I’m not going to call the council and the newspaper.”
Mr Hussain refurbished the house for his family to live in, but as an estate agent he can’t help but keep one eye on the market.
“The demographic that are buying in Islington are young professionals – they want smart lighting, air-con, marble in their bathrooms and a nice kitchen,” he said.
An Islington Council spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring that planning regulations are applied fairly and consistently across the borough.
“We are aware of issues being raised by residents about a property on Hungerford Road, which is the subject of a live Enforcement Investigation to determine whether any work has been done without permission or against approved plans.
“The planning department is also assessing a live planning application relating to part of the works. As such, we are not in a position to comment at this time, so as not to prejudice any part of the ongoing investigation.”
