Landlord Labour MP sacks letting agent over state of flats
Labour MP Jas Athwal said he has dismissed the agent charged with managing his rental properties after tenants claimed they were living with black mould and ant infestations.
Mr Athwal said he was “shocked and sickened” by the series of problems, and he was “furious” not to have been made aware of them earlier.
The MP for Ilford South in east London owns a rental portfolio including 15 residential and three commercial properties in the capital, according to Parliament’s register of MPs’ interests.
A BBC investigation found black mould in some of the properties, with dirty and dark communal areas, fire alarms hanging loose from the ceiling, and ant infestations in a number of the seven flats in one block.
Mr Athwal also admitted some of his flats may not have the correct property licences required under a scheme he introduced during his time in local government, according to the broadcaster.
Statement
In a statement posted online on Sunday, Mr Athwal 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.
“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.”
According to the register of interests, Mr Athwal’s rental properties are “co-owned with (a) family member”.
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If they are’ co-owned by a family member ” what oversight do they have about the situation?
Blame someone else as usual.
I have some – albeit distinctly tentative, cautious and qualified! – sympathy for Mr Athwal, in that he apparently devolved his day-to-day responsibilities as a landlord to a property agent. In the current climate – indeed, maybe for ever! – I suspect that many property agents see their primary role as protecting the landlord, as far as possible, from hassle from tenants and, as far as possible, from having to fork out on maintenance of his properties. After all, it’s the landlord who commissions their services and who pays their management fees, not the tenants! So it might just be… Read more »