Labour MP Jas Athwal, the largest landlord in the House of Commons, is facing mounting pressure to resign after it was revealed that some of his rental properties are plagued by appalling conditions. Athwal, who represents Ilford South, has publicly apologized and pledged to cover the costs of repairs after a BBC investigation uncovered black mould, ant infestations, and a series of safety violations in the properties he owns.
The revelations have sparked outrage, with calls for Labour to suspend Athwal. The MP, who owns 18 flats in East London, has since dismissed the property management company overseeing his rentals, stating he was “shocked and sickened” by the findings. Among the issues uncovered were faulty fire alarms and a washing machine left obstructing a stairway.
Tenants in one block of seven flats owned by Athwal reported regularly cleaning mould from their bathroom ceilings. One tenant claimed they were threatened with eviction after raising complaints with the letting agency. In response to the allegations, Athwal expressed his fury over the situation, stating, “I had not been aware of these issues until this week, for which I am furious.”
Athwal, formerly the leader of Redbridge Council, acknowledged his responsibility in addressing these issues, saying, “I’m profoundly sorry that tenants have been let down and will be reviewing the property management and how matters are escalated going forward.”
Despite the backlash, senior Labour figures, including Shadow Cabinet Minister Lucy Powell, defended Athwal. Speaking to Sky News, Powell stated that Athwal should not resign, emphasizing that he is taking immediate steps to rectify the situation. “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,” Powell said.
However, during a heated exchange on LBC, presenter Lewis Goodall accused Powell of hypocrisy, pointing out that Athwal had introduced landlord standards in Redbridge that he himself failed to uphold. Powell insisted that Labour does not tolerate such standards, highlighting the upcoming “Renters Reform Bill” as a solution to hold landlords accountable.
Meanwhile, Conservative London Assembly member Andrew Boff has called on Redbridge Council to investigate Athwal, saying, “Here we have a situation where somebody who is the leader of Redbridge Council, which introduced a licensing scheme, which he told everybody else to sign up to, and he didn’t do it himself.”
As the controversy deepens, the pressure on Athwal and the Labour Party to take decisive action is intensifying.