Landlord MP whose properties had ants and mould should stand down, renters' union says

The London Renters' Union (LRU) has called connected Labour MP Jas Athwal to basal down aft a BBC probe recovered achromatic mould and ant infestations successful his rental properties.

The union, which has 7,000 members crossed the capital, has besides written to Redbridge Council urging it to analyse its erstwhile person implicit what it called "housing instrumentality violations".

The MP for Ilford South owns 15 properties, making him the biggest landlord successful the House of Commons.

He antecedently said helium was helium was "shocked and sickened" by the authorities of the flats and that helium had stopped utilizing the services of the bureau that managed the properties.

When asked astir the lawsuit earlier connected Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “It’s not bully enough. It’s unacceptable for immoderate landlord, and I’ll beryllium truly wide astir that. It doesn’t substance whether it’s a Labour MP oregon anybody else, it’s unacceptable."

BBC News besides recovered Mr Athwal's flats had soiled communal areas, faulty lights, escaped occurrence alarms.

A tenant reported an ant infestation affecting their child, portion different said they were warned of eviction if they claimed benefits.

Mr Athwal besides admitted his flats lacked the required licences nether a strategy helium introduced arsenic Redbridge Council leader, contempt earlier claiming compliance.

Hester Sullivan, a spokesperson for the LRU, said: “Athwal near his tenants facing toxic mould and unsafe disrepair and has breached laws connected licensing, which is simply a cardinal portion of the tenant information system.

"Athwal has besides admitted to refusing to fto retired properties to renters who person lodging benefit, a signifier that prevents galore low-income radical from accessing capable housing."

She added that renters would not person spot successful Parliament's quality to resoluteness the nationalist lodging situation were Mr Athwal to stay an MP.

In effect to the allegation astir not accepting tenants receiving benefits, Mr Athwal told BBC London helium presently rents to radical who are successful receipt of lodging benefit.

"In my erstwhile comments I was referring to tenants being placed straight by Redbridge Council specifically; it’s this struggle of involvement I was preventing portion renting properties portion serving arsenic the person of the council," helium said.

The Ilford South MP has besides said helium volition reimburse immoderate tenants who are retired of pouch for repairs to the properties and that helium volition beryllium surveying his renters to code immoderate issues.

On Saturday, Redbridge Council's Conservative person Paul Canal called connected Mr Athwal to measurement down arsenic a councillor - a relation helium has kept since becoming an MP - and urged the council's officers to investigate.

A spokesperson said the assembly was committed to a "fair and accordant process for each landlord applying to the selective licensing scheme", adding that it would "continue to enactment with landlords to guarantee that they are compliant and their properties are successful a information suitable for tenants."