Jas Athwal MP and the Rogue Landlord Allegations: A Year On, Still No Transparency

It’s now been almost a year since Jas Athwal MP was accused of being a rogue landlord following a BBC investigation in August 2024. The investigation revealed serious issues in several properties linked to Athwal, including unlicensed rentals, ant infestations, and dangerous black mold. Since the report, Athwal has publicly shifted blame onto his property agent—an individual he still refuses to name.

As concerned residents and members of the public, we have every right to ask: Has Jas Athwal been fined? Was he investigated at all? Why the continued silence?

A Trail of Freedom of Information Requests

Since the initial report, several Freedom of Information (FOI) requests have been submitted to Redbridge Council in an effort to determine whether Athwal has been held accountable. Unfortunately, these requests have revealed more about the opacity of the system than about the case itself.

The first FOI response claimed that the council held no paper or electronic records indicating whether Athwal had been fined or investigated.

A follow-up FOI uncovered that, in fact, emails do exist regarding his status as a potential rogue landlord. However, the council is now refusing to release those emails, citing GDPR regulations.

This is a worrying inconsistency. If no records existed, how are there now emails being withheld? More importantly, why is a public authority shielding this information when it concerns public safety and trust in an elected official?

Public Interest Must Prevail

I will now be requesting an internal review of the FOI decision. There is a clear public interest in this case. The residents of Redbridge—and the public at large—deserve to know whether their elected MP has been held accountable for unsafe housing conditions.

The council has also stated that, once the appeal process is complete, details of rogue landlords are passed on to the Mayor of London’s public database. This leaves open the possibility that Athwal has been fined and is currently appealing, meaning he could yet appear on the rogue landlord register.

But rather than letting this ambiguity drag on, there is a much simpler way to clear the air: Jas Athwal could address his constituents directly.

Transparency Is the Bare Minimum

If Jas Athwal has nothing to hide, he should be willing to confirm:

  1.Whether he has been fined.

  2. Whether he is under investigation or in an appeal process.

  3. Who the property agent was that he claims is responsible.

As an MP and former council leader, Athwal has built his reputation on public service. But accountability and transparency are not optional—they are the bedrock of trust in public life.

Residents deserve answers. We deserve honesty. And until we get it, we will continue to ask the uncomfortable but necessary questions.