That new Labour MP’s ten flats with ants and mould…

Skybluee
A landlord can refuse a tenancy as income and employment status are not protected characteristics.

Back in the day some landlords preferred tenants on benefits because you knew the rent was coming directly to them.
Then it changed. Not for the best in some cases.

Casdon

It’s illegal to discriminate against people on benefits, but it’s easy for landlords to circumnavigate that by setting the rent for their property above the local housing allowance rate for benefits claimants.
I don’t think there is any excuse for any landlord to rent uninhabitable housing to anybody, they have a responsibility to make sure it is up to standard, whether they use an agency or not. The landlord’s beef is with the agency if they are paying them and find they aren’t doing their job properly.

👏👏👏👏👏

Let’s be honest here (or him) those properties did get in that state overnight, it’s years of neglect and there’s absolutely no excuse for black mould

petra

Back in the day some landlords preferred tenants on benefits because you knew the rent was coming directly to them.
Then it changed. Not for the best in some cases.

Landlords can still request direct payments, as can the tenants and even the work coach, DWP just keep very quiet about this!

Managing Agents do as the landlord's tell them. If the flats were not properly serviced and repaired, it will be because the owner would not sanction repair work..

The agent would have had his instructions from the owner - and followed them.

This man isn't just a bad and oppressive landlord. He is a coward, sheltering behind his agent, instead of having the courage and decency to admit that he was an old style Rachmanite slum landlord.

He had 10 flats they only get maintained if he authorizes maintenence he knew exactly what they were like, agents do as they are told.

I can vouch for the fact that don't always.
Like any other service, there are good and bad ones.

MissAdventure

I can vouch for the fact that don't always.
Like any other service, there are good and bad ones.

In a case like this where they are dealing with a block of flats, they may not be brilliant, but the neglect of these flats was so extensive, it can only have been on the landlord's instructions.

Has any research been done into the owership of the agency and any personal links between the MP and owners/managers of the managing agents

Ah, I don't know, but it's probably worth checking out.

There will hopefully now be a focus on all MP's who own property as rentals. Last figures I could find were in April 2023 with a total of 87 declaring property.

Also further measures to protect those in rented properties. As far as I can find out the Renters (Reform) bill proposed in 2023 did not get into legislation.

Shelter information
england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/renters_reform_bill

There will hopefully be a focus on all landlords and properties too. It would be shocking if the properties with mould, ants and other serious defects were only dealt with if they were owned/run by MPs.

Yes definitely, my reason for including the information from Shelter.

A relative of mine took early retirement on health grounds and has part of his rent paid by Housing Benefit. He tops up the deficit himself. The HB is paid to him direct and his LL (who officially does not take HB tenants) has no idea. Its not the business of the LL to know the source of the income so long as the rent is being paid. The LA is not going to give the LL confidential information about the tenant without their authority. I believe HA has now been superceded by UC for new claims by working age tenants.

This "slum" landlord has put up the paper-thin defence that he knew nothing and it was the duty of an agency, employed by himself to manage these hovels, to take responsibility - this seems to include threatening eviction if complaints are made.

"Nuffink to do wiv me, Guv!"

Definitely shades of notorious slum landlord Peter Rachman whose alledged methods of 'managing' his properties put him on a par with the Kray twins.

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Reported

Oreo

Galaxy

I think it should be a resignation matter, I am not interested in what party he belongs to.

Of course he should, does Labour want somebody like him as their MP? Do voters know about this who voted him in?
And to think he was the leader of Redbridge Council! I know Ilford well, and still have friends there, used to be a nice place many years ago but not anymore.
Come on Keir, boot him out.

He was “profoundly sorry”because he’s been found out…😡

reported, old thread, spam.

No it is relevant. They would be quick to complain if it was done by someone from another party.

Absolutely.
Of course it’s relevant, especially if the party concerned is claiming to do something with reference to private landlords’ treatment of tenants, even if such LP claims are not mould related.

The government are doing something about this.
www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/government-announces-phased-timetable-for-awaabs-law/5134238.article

Galaxy

I think it should be a resignation matter, I am not interested in what party he belongs to.

Exactly so, couldn't agree more. Too many people just latch onto political this-&-that in order to insult the Party they hate and push the Party they love. A bit more balanced reasoning and a bit less bias would raise the tone no end.

Casdon

The government are doing something about this.
www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/government-announces-phased-timetable-for-awaabs-law/5134238.article

And they should start by addressing the issue of MPs (including their own) who let properties which are covered under that timetable.
The concern shown by tenants who are afraid to be identified as complaining or to have the mould in their rentals used as examples of the MP’s properties is a further matter that needs addressing quickly.

Do you know that hasn’t happened since this thread started in August 2024 Mollygo, I’m not aware of any update about this MPs properties?

Casdon

Do you know that hasn’t happened since this thread started in August 2024 Mollygo, I’m not aware of any update about this MPs properties?

???

It was in the paper months ago, just after the election. Here is a news item published in August reporting on this www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/30/labour-mp-accused-of-renting-out-ant-infested-flats-with-black-mould

I would have expected all the repairs to have been done by now and for the flats to be in perfect condtion.

Kick him out -as an MP and as Labour party member.

How can people who profess to support the Labour party, the party that sees itself as representing the oppressed and downtrodden, have so many MPs who treat that same group with contempt whether by renting out rotten homes for large rents or speaking with graphic and vulgar terms of their constituents.