Tycoon who sold houseboats worth £3.5m with illegal moorings on Thames convicted of fraud
A property tycoon sold luxury houseboats worth £3.5 million on the Thames to people who had no right to live in them, a court heard.
Myck Djurberg, 64, who bought the Hampton Riviera Boat Yard in Richmond in 2011, was convicted on Tuesday at Kingston Crown Court of fraudulently selling houseboats without appropriate planning permission.
The court was told Djurberg built a number of expensive boats and assured the buyers they could live on board.
But when they moved in, they found the moorings did not have planning permission for residential stays.
A police investigation found that Djurberg had only acquired planning permission for leisure mooring, not residential, and had not even paid the Environment Agency for that licence.
The local authority, Richmond council, served several enforcement notices to Djurberg, attended the location and removed some of the unlawful pontoons.
Andrew West, a specialist prosecutor for the CPS, said: “Djurberg did not have planning consent in place to use boats for residential purposes, as dwellings nor for commercial business occupation.
“Despite this, he fraudulently sold five houseboats, financially gaining from the misfortune of his customers.
“Following this conviction, we will pursue confiscation proceedings to ensure that Djurberg pays back the money he gained through this criminal operation.”
Djurberg will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.
The developer was previously before the courts when he chased a tenant at the marina with a roofer’s tool, threatening him with violence.
Klaus Beversluis, 52, had rented mooring space for five years before Djurberg demanded more cash for “additional and unwarranted” charges.
The landlord assaulted his disgruntled tenant after he went to the office to discuss the surprise charges.
‘I’ll break your head,’ tycoon told tenant
Djurberg hit his tenant in the back of the head with his orange and khaki gardening gloves, shouting “I’ll break your f-----g head” and brandishing a lead dresser.
He was convicted of assault by beating and using threatening words and behaviour with the intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.
He was given a 12-month community order and ordered to pay costs of £345 for the assault by magistrates in April 2021.
Djurberg previously lived at the boatyard in a Grade II listed authentic Swiss chalet which was imported from Switzerland in 1882.
Originally used as a boathouse for a larger house, it was converted into a luxurious family home. It was back on the market last year, priced at offers above £3.5 million.
