20th
Sep 2024
Sadiq Khan has called for action to be taken against bad landlords and it doesn’t matter whether they are "Labour MPs or ordinary people".
A recent BBC investigation uncovered Labour’s new MP for Ilford South Jas Athwal, has flats being rented out which have major health threatening levels of black mould and ant infestations.
Mr Athwal who used to be Redbridge council’s leader has also owned up to the fact that his flats did not have the proper licenses even though it was he who introduced the scheme.
The London Mayor was asked if Mr. Athwell should be disciplined by Labour and he said : "A bad landlord is a bad landlord.
"It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Labour MP or a normal person. If you’re a bad landlord action should be taken against you.
"I wasn’t aware of Jas’s various properties until I saw the BBC report. I think it’s right he sacked the managing agent."
As soon as the investigation came out the Labour MP very quickly sacked the agency who were responsible for the flats and apologised, however the London Renters Union has called for him to resign.
Khan added Mr Athwell did the right thing by apologising, dismissing the agency and said "it’s right he’s going to personally compensate all those tenants who have lost out.
"But it’s wrong that tenants, Londoners, are living in the awful accommodation that his tenants were living in.
The mayor was asked should the Labour Party suspend Mr Athwal, Khan said: "There are 75 MPs in London, 59 of them are Labour MPs.
"Thankfully I’m not in charge of disciplining MPs."
The prime minister said the unfit state of the properties was “unacceptable", but when asked why the MP was not being punished Starmer said it was because he was taking steps to rectify the issues and recompense the unfortunate tenants.
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