The Labour MP at the centre of a public row over the condition and licensing of his buy to let flats has reportedly sacked his lettings agent.

The BBC says Athwal disinstructed the agent after national media publicity following BBC claims that in one block of seven flats owned by Athwal “nearly half the tenants said they had to regularly clean their bathroom ceilings to remove mould.” 

The BBC also makes allegations about ant infestations, an apparent absence of appropriate licensing, dirty communal areas and dumped furniture.

BBC investigators correspondent Joe Pike writes: “Most of the people I spoke to said Mr Athwal and his property manager were slow to respond to complaints or were completely unresponsive. While I was at the block, the property manager was tipped off about my visit and tenants started to get calls from him. After receiving these calls they became hesitant about talking to me. This appeared to me to be intimidation. 

“One resident who had spoken on camera about problems with their flat later asked that we not use the interview and another asked me not to use images of the mould two days after allowing me to take pictures of it.”

Athwal – a former leader ofd Redbridge council which, like many Labour authorities, conducts various clampdowns on so-called ‘rogue’ landlords – did not respond to a BBC request for interview but said in a statement: “My properties are managed by an agency, selected for their quick response times and excellent customer service. This is evidenced by the long tenure of the tenants – over 87 years across 15 properties.

“I pride myself on being a good landlord and no tenants have ever been evicted. Repairs and improvements have been made to properties as recently as two weeks ago. To ensure tenants enjoy a secure, long-term home, rents are kept below market rate and, in many cases rents are frozen at the rate first agreed.

“Every Redbridge rental property I own is in full compliance with the landlord licence scheme, and have been since its creation. Landlords are contacted by the council when licences are due for renewal, this has not yet occurred for my properties but licences will be renewed when the notices are issued.”

But Athwal subsequently admitted that he had “recently seen an email” which said the licences were due to expire. He then gave the BBC a second statement saying: “I am in the process of renewing all licences. As council leader I implemented the most rigorous landlord licencing scheme in London in 2017, and expanded the scheme in 2023 and 2024 – the scheme would’ve been even stronger if Conservative housing secretaries had not repeatedly watered it down.

“In 2019, I led a campaign calling on government to abolish Section 21 evictions, further protecting tenants’ rights, which was again blocked by the Conservatives.”

Now Athwal says he will replace the lettings agency within 48 hours, adding he “will be issuing each tenant with a personal apology and meeting with them urgently”.

He now says: “I am shocked and sickened by the series of problems that have come to light and I am unreservedly sorry to all my tenants for the bad experience they have endured. I will be reimbursing every tenant that is out of pocket for repairs or renewals they have had to undertake. I will be issuing each tenant with a personal apology and meeting with them urgently.”