A Labour MP and landlord has “unreservedly apologised” after his tenants were found to be living in squalid conditions.
A BBC investigation uncovered a series of properties owned by Jas Athwal, the MP for Ilford South and former leader of Redbridge Council, were in poor condition. The broadcaster found evidence of ant infestations and black mould in the Ilford homes.
Cllr Athwal said he was previously unaware of the issues and had “immediately dismissed the managing agent of my properties”.
In a statement posted to X, he said: “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.
“As the landlord, the buck stops with me, and I unreservedly apologise to my tenants for the unacceptable experiences they have endured.”
Cllr Athwal continued: “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.”
Cllr Athwal served as leader of Redbridge Council between 2014 and 2024. In 2018, he vowed a crackdown on ‘rogue landlords’.
With a portfolio of 15 rental homes, he is the largest landlord in Parliament. He also leases out three commercial properties – all with an unspecified family member – and owns a home in Bedfordshire.
He described himself as a “renters’ champion” in an initial statement provided to the BBC and said he had never evicted a tenant.
However, he later admitted some properties may not have the correct property licences required under a scheme he himself introduced. He told the BBC he was now in the process of renewing all his licences.
Though the properties were managed by a letting agent on Cllr Athwal’s behalf, they were still his responsibility as a landlord.
Cllr Athwal has been facing calls to quit since the report was published on Friday (30th August), less than two months after being elected to represent Ilford South in the House of Commons.
Councillor Paul Canal, leader of the borough’s Conservative group, called on him to resign as a councillor “immediately”, as his position had become “untenable”. He further urged Redbridge Council to investigate Athwal amid “simply scandalous hypocrisy”.
A spokesperson for the authority told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) it was “aware of the situation” but could not comment on individual cases.
He said: “In all cases, we expect properties that require a licence to apply for it. Where they do not have a licence, we will send notices and commence enforcement action.”
“It is important that all landlords apply for their licences. This is about maintaining the standards of our selective licensing scheme and ensuring the safety and well-being of people in Redbridge.”
Faiza Shaheen, who stood in nearby Chingford and Woodford Green as a Labour candidate in 2019 and then as an independent this year, said: “You would think that, as an MP or indeed the leader of a council, you’d go out of your way to make sure your properties were in the best condition. Not Jas Athwal.”
Shaheen, who was deselected by Labour in May for liking tweets the party had deemed problematic, added: “But he’s part of Starmer’s project so unlikely to face any consequences.”
However, Labour MP Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House, defended her parliamentary colleague and said he should not resign.
She told Sky News: “As I understand it, he himself is furious because he didn’t know this is happening in his housing stock and he is taking immediate steps to put that right and that is absolutely as it should be.”
She added that the Renters’ Rights Bill, one of Labour’s election promises, would “tackle the scourge of bad landlords”.
The bill would also extend Awaab’s Law to the private sector. Originally introduced in the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023, it requires landlords to investigate damp and mould within 14 days of being notified.
It was named for Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in Rochester in 2020 from a severe respiratory condition. A coroner ruled it had been caused by lengthy exposure to black mould in his single-bed flat.
