A property director has been hit with a 54-thousand dollar fine for illegally converting a property into an unsafe boarding house

Between mid 2017 and early 2018 Paul Knight pushed ahead with installing prefabricated cabins in Auckland's Manurewa despite council advising it would be unlawful.

During construction he housed migrant workers in 44 container-style cabins which lacked fire safety systems and appropriate means of escape.

In sentencing, District Court Judge Sheena Tepania says the case demonstrates the purpose of the consenting process.