Controversial and discriminatory landlord Fergus Wilson has vowed to evict single women who become pregnant and single mums with newborn babies.
Single mothers are the latest targets for Wilson, who made headlines through his remarks banning ‘coloured’ tenants on the basis that they ‘left behind a curry smell.’ The 69 year-old is one of Britain’s largest buy to let investors, owning hundreds of properties in Maidstone and Ashford, Kent.
Wilson has already evicted four single mums with babies last week. However, he blames Ashford Borough Council for his decision, claiming that the council’s new policy on landlords having to fix boilers within four days if the tenant is a single mum with a baby is ‘too restrictive’.
Wilson spoke out to the Kentish express, saying: ‘Landlords who miss targets face being fined if they don’t abide by the ’emergency maintenance policy. I just can’t risk something going wrong and not being able to get a plumber there in time – have you ever tried to get a plumber, there’s a national shortage.’
In a letter to Gerald White, Ashford Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, Mr Wilson wrote: ‘It is heartbreaking to terminate the contracts, but we cannot recruit staff and service the tenants.’
‘The council has brought this decision on itself,’ he added, ‘we know we will not be able to comply with that expectation so I have brought these tenancies to an end.’
Mr White said: ‘I’m supportive of the proposed implementation of the civil penalty policy to allow the council to consider imposing fines on landlords who fail to comply with housing law, as an alternative to prosecution. Implementing the policy will hopefully deter landlords from failing in their responsibilities in providing safe homes and ensuring that they comply with the relevant housing law.’
A spokesman for Ashford Borough Council added: ‘We have duty to ensure decent standards for tenant who are renting privately. ‘We always work with landlords to ensure those standards are met and try to assist them as much as possible. ‘Formal enforcement action is very much a last resort, but we will take action where necessary.’
