Labour MP Jas Athwal tops landlord list

JAS ATHWAL, the newly elected Labour MP for Ilford South, has emerged as the largest landlord in the House of Commons, owning a total of 18 rental properties.

According to a Financial Times analysis of the UK parliament’s register of members’ interests, Athwal's property portfolio includes 15 residential and three commercial properties, all co-owned with a family member.

Athwal’s rise to prominence came in 2022 when he unseated Labour MP Sam Tarry, a supporter of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, in a selection contest.

His victory marked a significant shift within the Labour party, which has seen an increasing number of its MPs owning multiple properties. Of the top five landlords in the Commons, three are now Labour MPs, reflecting the party’s evolving composition under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

According to FT, Labour’s landlord MPs have raised concerns among housing reform advocates, who fear that the increasing number of property-owning MPs could hinder efforts to implement rental reforms.

The Renters’ Reform Coalition, a pressure group advocating for tenants' rights, has expressed worries that these MPs might oppose measures aimed at rebalancing power between landlords and tenants.

Tom Darling, the director of the coalition, stressed that while being a landlord should not disqualify someone from being an MP, those who do hold such positions have an added responsibility to support and advance overdue rental reforms.

He pointed to past instances where rental reform efforts were slowed or weakened, potentially due to the private interests of parliamentarians.

Under the previous Tory government, former levelling-up secretary Michael Gove had proposed significant changes to the rental market, including banning “no-fault” evictions, where landlords can evict tenants without providing a reason. However, these reforms faced opposition and delays, leading to concerns about the influence of landlord MPs.

Labour has pledged to outlaw no-fault evictions as part of its broader plan to reform the private rented sector in England. The party has also committed to ending rental bidding wars, where landlords encourage potential tenants to outbid each other, and to introducing stronger protections for renters against issues like damp, mould, and cold.

In addition to Athwal, the other two Labour MPs among the top five landlords in the Commons are Gurinder Josan, the MP for Smethwick in the West Midlands, who owns eight rental properties, and Bayo Alaba, the MP for Southend East, who owns seven. Both MPs, like Athwal, co-own their properties with family members.

Also, a significant number of MPs — 158 in total — report owning second homes or land from which they do not earn rental income. For instance, Tom Tugendhat, a candidate for Tory leadership, jointly owns four flats and some agricultural land in France with members of his family.

Labour has vowed to take tough decisions that the previous Tory government avoided, aiming to provide stability and security for renters across the country.