A Labour MP who once called out “rogue landlords” has been forced to apologise after it emerged his tenants were living in flats infested with ants and riddled with mould.
Jas Athwal, who won his Ilford South seat with a majority of 6,896, issued a lengthy apology in which he confirmed he will be “reimbursing every tenant” for repairs and renewals.
The 60-year-old faced calls to quit from his position on Redbridge Council earlier this week after flats in his 15-property portfolio were found to have contained dirty communal areas and fire alarms hanging loose from the ceiling.
Other residents complained about ant infestations and mould, the BBC has revealed.
Labour MP Jas Athwal who has said he is "profoundly sorry" after tenants living in flats he rents out said they live with black mould and ant infestations.
PA
In his apology, 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.
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PA“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 Ilford South MP’s decision to sack the agency which manages his rental flats came just days after he claimed the company was selected for their “quick response times and excellent customer service”.
Athwal, who has the largest landlord portfolio of any MP in Parliament, had also admitted that his flats did not have the correct property licences under a scheme he introduced as leader of Redbridge Council.
A view of houses in north London
PAIn a social media post after a local landlord being fined in 2018, Athwal also stunningly spoke about his disdain for dodgy landlords.
He said: “Rogue landlords, we are coming for you.”
Labour is coming under pressure to take action against the Ilford South MP after Sir Keir Starmer’s 2024 manifesto included a commitment to "prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against".
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who also serves as Housing Secretary, previously argued that “there is no excuse to let private landlords off the hook” for poor conditions.
Tory figures in Ilford have been leading the calls for Athwal to quit.
Conservative Cllr Paul Canal, who leads the Tories on Redbridge Council, was among those leading calls for Athwal to quit.
He said: “He should resign immediately.”
Canal added: “Keir Starmer should also withdraw the whip whilst a full and thorough investigation is carried out.”
Angela Rayner PASamir Dwesar, another Redbridge Tory Cllr, also said: “The buck stops with you. Resign.”
Former No10 special adviser Henry Newman, who is spearheading efforts to bring to light Labour’s Whitehall hires, added: “This isn’t going to wash. Who were the managing agents? How do we know that Jas Athwal was unaware of what was going on in his properties?
“If Mr Athwal was so interested in renters rights why didn’t he look at what was happening in his own flats? This wasnt an isolated issue.”
However, Commons Leader Lucy Powell 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.”
The Manchester Central MP also reiterated Labour would bring forward the Renters Reform Bill to “tackle the scourge of bad landlords”.
