A businesswoman whose shop was looted during the riots was ordered by bailiffs to pay her business rates or face the consequences.

Mussarat Umer, owner of the Multi-Service Centre in Streatham Hill, received a phone call from Lambeth Council on Thursday (October 20), telling her she owed them £4,500 in unpaid rates.

Ms Umer, who had £5,000 worth of electrical goods stolen from her laptop repair shop and thousands of pounds worth of damage done to her shop, responded by saying she had been a victim of the violent disorder on August 8.

Her case was publicised by the Streatham Guardian, along with several other businesses in Streatham High Road, following the disorder.

But a woman at the council’s recovery department, Equita, said Ms Umer's business had only been affected "for one day" and demanded the payment immediately.

The distressed business owner said the incident had left her in tears.

The council has since apologised for the action and reduced Ms Umer’s outstanding arrears to about £2,000, saying she was not included on a list of businesses who suffered break-ins during the disorder.

Speaking before the apology, she said: "I am just stressed. What really gets to me is that she said ‘You were only affected for one day’. All my stock was taken, my windows were broken and she says that. You would think that their departments would talk to each other.

"At this time when businesses are struggling anyway, instead of helping us to survive, they are making it harder and harder.

"Even though somewhere along the line I am sure this will be resolved, it is the way they deal with you - it is like they just don’t care."

Councillor for Streatham Hill ward, Jeremy Clyne, said: "The council should be trying to support businesses that were affected by the rioting, rather than trying to shut them down.

"They should be given time to recover. If they were only offering one day relief, that is plainly ridiculous because something like this will have quite a long-term affect on a business."

Apologising for the mix up, the council’s deputy leader, councillor Jackie Meldrum, said: "As soon as we were made aware of the Multi-Service Centre’s situation the account was removed from the bailiff and all the associated costs.

"The Multi-Service Centre has now been given the same level of support that we have provided all businesses affected by the public disturbances."