British Sikh MP criticised for renting out flats with ‘black mould, ant infestation’

A newly elected Labour British Sikh MP, Jas Athwal, faced allegations of being a slum landlord following a BBC investigation that reported his tenants were living in flats infested with fleas.

Athwal, 60, was born into a Sikh family in Punjab and moved to Ilford in 1970 at the age of seven. In July, he was elected as the MP for Ilford South. Athwal, formerly the leader of Redbridge Council, is required to obtain a selective property licence to rent out a block of seven flats—a system he implemented in 2017 during his tenure as council leader.

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Moreover, the BBC investigation revealed that in a block of seven flats owned by Athwal, nearly half of the tenants reported having to frequently clean mould from their bathroom ceilings.

The news organization also documented evidence of ant infestations in several of these properties. One resident complained, “The ants are everywhere,” while pointing to insects crawling up a door frame. “They are on my child's body and clothes.”

Another resident reported being threatened with eviction by the letting agent if they complained about issues in their flat or began claiming benefits.

What did Athwal say?

Meanwhile, Athwal has defended his record as a landlord and expressed that he was “shocked” and “profoundly sorry” to learn about the residents' problems, including mould and ant infestations, which were reported by the BBC on Friday.

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Athwal claims he was unaware of the issues because the properties were managed by an agency. He has now committed to addressing the repairs and maintenance through immediate action, PTI reported.

"I am a renters champion. I'm proud to rent out homes with secure tenancies at below-market rents,” Athwal said in a detailed statement.

"I want every one of my tenants to have excellent accommodation; I'm shocked at the reported condition of a number of the properties and have asked the managing agent for an explanation and immediate action to rectify any issues. I know it's my responsibility to have issues addressed as soon as they arise and have met with the property management company to understand failures in communication,” he said.

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"I'm profoundly sorry that tenants have been let down and will be reviewing the property management and how matters are escalated going forward," he added.

Andrew Boff, a Conservative member of the London Assembly who visited the flats, is urging the Labour Party and the local Redbridge Council to look into the matter.

He noted that the party’s 2024 general election manifesto includes a pledge to “prevent private renters from being exploited and discriminated against.”