Labour MP and self-professed ‘renters champion’ Jas Athwal faces calls to resign over mouldy flats

A housing organisation has called for Labour MP Jas Athwal to resign after it was found that flats he rents out as a landlord were in “dangerous disrepair”. 

A BBC investigation published on Friday (30 August) found that flats owned by Athwal had “black mould and ant infestations”.  One of the MP’s tenants claimed in the report that they had been threatened with eviction by the letting agent if they complained about issues in their property, or started claiming benefits. 

• 40% of landlords say they would not rent out their property to people on benefits
• One in six young people are living in poor-quality housing and it’s hurting their health

The newly-elected MP for Ilford South – who owns 15 rental flats, making him the biggest landlord in the House of Commons – has since said he is “profoundly sorry” to hear about residents’ issues, and has sacked the agency which manages his rental flats. He also said he was “shocked” to hear of the condition of the properties and insisted he was a “renters champion”.

Athwal has also admitted he needs to renew his selective property license in order to rent out the flats, required under a scheme he introduced while he was leader of Redbridge Council in 2017.

Housing charities and campaigners, however, have described the conditions at Jas Athwal’s properties as “absolutely unacceptable”, with many calling for the MP to resign over the reports. One such group calling for his resignation is the London Renters Union (LRU), which Jas Athwal is “not fit to be an MP”.

Writing to Redbridge council, the LRU explained that Athwal should be investigated after being accused of discriminating against people who receive housing benefit. 

“Athwal left his tenants facing toxic mould and dangerous disrepair and has broken laws on licensing, which is a key part of the tenant safety system,” Hester Sullivan, a spokesperson for LRU, said. 

“Athwal has also admitted to refusing to let out properties to renters who receive housing benefit, a practice that prevents many low-income people from accessing adequate housing and that has been ruled illegal by a court.”

Calling for the MP to resign, Sullivan added: “Anyone who discriminates against people who receive benefits and puts their tenants at such risk by ignoring housing safety laws is clearly not fit to be an MP. Jas Athwal must resign. For as long as Athwal remains an MP, many renters won’t trust parliament to fix the housing crisis.

“As some of our members know only too well, when landlords ignore the law, tenants face serious injury and illness. The consequences can be deadly. 650,000 private rented homes across England are unsafe because landlords like Athwal fail to follow basic housing health and safety laws.” 

Tom Darling, director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition added that the accusations against Athwal are “absolutely unacceptable”.

“Loose fire alarms, ants, black mould and threats of eviction for tenants that dared to complain – the appalling conditions experienced by Jas Athwal’s tenants are all too common for renters across the country,” Darling told the Big Issue.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for anyone to provide this standard of housing – let alone a sitting MP. We must see urgent and wide-reaching reforms to get a grip on the renting crisis and tackle negligent landlords.”

Dan Wilson Craw, deputy chief executive of Generation Rent, added: “Mr Athwal’s failures only came to light because he’s an MP – many more landlords and letting agents are cutting corners or discriminating against benefit recipients, and getting away with it, because it is so difficult to enforce the law.

“This case reveals a wider problem with England’s weak protections for renters, who understandably fear being evicted if we make complaints. This highlights the pressing need to end unfair evictions, so tenants can get our homes fixed without fear.

“Tenants who find out their landlord needs a licence but doesn’t have one may be able to claim back rent through a Rent Repayment Order.”

In a statement on X, Jas Athwal said he was “shocked and sickened” by the problems in the flats he is a landlord for. 

“I am shocked and sickened by the series of problems that have come to light. I had not been aware of these issues until this week, for which I am furious. I have immediately dismissed the managing agent of my properties,” he wrote. 

“As the landlord, the buck stops with me, and I unreservedly apologise to my tenants for the unacceptable experiences they have endured. 

“I will be reimbursing every tenant that is out of pocket for repairs or renewals they have had to undertake. I will be conducting a survey of my tenants, so that all issues are uncovered and I am confident each one is living in secure, comfortable homes.”

The LRU also welcomed the upcoming Renters Rights Bill, which is expected to ban Section 21 “no-fault” evictions, as well as introduce a number of protections for renters. 

“In our broken rental market, landlords who break the rules often face no consequences for serious safety failings,” they said.

“The upcoming Renters Rights Bill is a chance to make sure councils issue fines against any landlord who breaks safety laws. Renters should have the right to withhold their rent when landlords leave them in unsafe conditions. Rent controls are desperately needed to make housing more affordable and stop people being forced out of their homes and communities by huge rent rises. 

“The presence of landlords like Athwal in parliament is a dangerous obstacle to the Renters Rights Bill providing improvements to renters rights.”

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