A senior Labour minister has come out in support of Jas Athwal, the newly-elected MP for Ilford South, who is facing backlash after a BBC investigation exposed concerning conditions in some of his rental properties. The BBC report, written by political investigations correspondent Joe Pike, centres on a block of flats owned by Athwal, who is now the largest landlord in the House of Commons with a portfolio of 15 rental properties.
The investigation highlights various issues in one of Athwal’s blocks, where nearly half of the tenants reported having to regularly clean mould from their bathroom ceilings. In addition to the mould problem, the BBC uncovered complaints about ant infestations, dirty communal areas, and abandoned furniture in the block. There were also allegations that some of Athwal’s properties were not properly licensed.
The BBC’s report has sparked controversy, with questions being raised about Athwal’s responsibility as a landlord and the conditions of his rental properties. Despite these concerns, the Labour minister defended Athwal, emphasising his commitment to his role as an MP and dismissing the allegations as overblown.
The situation has drawn significant media attention, as the issue of substandard rental properties continues to be a hot topic in the UK. The case of Jas Athwal further highlights the ongoing debate over the accountability of landlords and the standards of rental housing across the country.
Joe Pike, a political investigations correspondent for the BBC, recently reported on the troubling conditions at properties owned by newly-elected Ilford South MP Jas Athwal. Athwal, who holds a portfolio of 15 rental flats, is currently the largest landlord in the House of Commons. In his investigation, Pike highlighted complaints from tenants residing in one of Athwal’s blocks of flats, revealing issues such as mould, ant infestations, and poor maintenance. According to Pike, nearly half of the tenants reported having to clean their bathroom ceilings regularly due to mould, and the communal areas were often left dirty, with furniture carelessly dumped.
Pike’s report also alleges that the property manager, responsible for the upkeep of Athwal’s flats, was slow to respond to tenants’ complaints. In some cases, tenants claimed they received no response at all. During Pike’s visit to the property, the manager was reportedly tipped off about the BBC investigation, and tenants began receiving calls from him. Pike observed a noticeable shift in the tenants’ willingness to speak to him, interpreting this change as a potential act of intimidation.
One tenant, who had initially agreed to an on-camera interview detailing the issues in their flat, later retracted their consent, asking that the footage not be used. Another tenant, who had allowed Pike to photograph the mould in their flat, similarly requested a few days later that the images not be published. Pike suggested that these requests were likely influenced by the calls they had received from the property manager, raising concerns about the level of pressure placed on the tenants.
Despite the troubling nature of these reports, Jas Athwal has received public support from a senior Labour minister. Lucy Powell, leader of the House of Commons, defended Athwal in an interview with Sky News, stating that he should not resign from his position as an MP. Powell expressed confidence that Athwal was taking appropriate action to address the issues raised by the BBC investigation. She emphasised that Athwal was committed to resolving the problems in his properties and improving conditions for his tenants. However, the controversy continues to draw attention, with many questioning whether these steps are sufficient to address the broader concerns about the management of Athwal’s rental properties.
Lucy Powell, the leader of the House of Commons, defended Jas Athwal in an interview with Sky News, stating that he was taking immediate action to resolve the issues reported in his rental properties. Powell explained that Athwal was reportedly unaware of the problems in his housing stock and was “furious” upon learning about them. She added that Athwal had already started taking steps to address the situation, which she believed was the correct course of action.
Athwal is also said to have dismissed his lettings agent in response to the situation. As a former leader of Redbridge council, Athwal had previously supported efforts to crack down on rogue landlords. However, he declined the BBC’s request for an interview. Instead, he released a statement highlighting that his properties were managed by an agency known for its quick response times and customer service. He pointed to the long tenure of his tenants, with a combined 87 years across his 15 properties, as evidence of his management approach.
In his statement, Athwal expressed pride in being a responsible landlord. He emphasised that none of his tenants had ever been evicted and that repairs and improvements were regularly made, with some carried out as recently as two weeks ago. Athwal also noted that he kept rents below market rate to ensure tenants had long-term, stable homes, and in many cases, rents remained frozen at the originally agreed rate.
Jas Athwal, the newly elected MP for Ilford South, responded to recent scrutiny by stating that all of his rental properties in Redbridge are fully compliant with the local landlord licence scheme. He explained that landlords are notified by the council when licences are due for renewal, and while this has not yet occurred for his properties, he assured that licences would be renewed when the notices were issued.
However, Athwal later acknowledged that he had recently come across an email indicating that the licences for his properties were due to expire. In a follow-up statement to the BBC, Athwal confirmed that he was actively working on renewing all the necessary licences. He also pointed to his role as the former leader of Redbridge council, where he had implemented what he described as the most rigorous landlord licensing scheme in London back in 2017. Athwal further expanded the scheme in 2023 and 2024 but criticised the Conservative housing secretaries for weakening the regulations over time.
Athwal also highlighted his efforts to protect tenants’ rights. In 2019, he led a campaign to abolish Section 21 evictions, which he said would have offered greater security for renters. However, he noted that this initiative was ultimately blocked by the Conservative government, reflecting ongoing political challenges in advancing tenant protections.
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