A LandlordZONE reader has claimed that former homelessness minister Rushanara Ali was stitched up by jealous neighbours and did nothing wrong when she re-listed her home for £700 a month a month more after asking the previous tenants to move out.
Landlord Prafula Kopp, who lives in the same gated development - Bow Quarter – that Ali’s HMO property is located within, says the former minister was only raising the rent to the market value of other similar properties.
Almost identical five-bedroom ‘shared houses’ available to rent within the development listed on Rightmove rent for between £4,150 and £4,200 a month, although Ali eventually rented it out at £4,000 – less than the going rate.
Kopp, who is in her sixties and looking to sell up her own portfolio, says it’s important for readers to understand the nature of the development Ali’s HMO is within.
Bow Quarter is an exclusive, gated community with upmarket facilities including a swimming pool, spa, gym and koi carp ponds all used by 1,200 residents living within 733 one and two- bedroom apartments and 19 town houses plus three commercial units. It was created within the old Bryant & May matches factory and is near the Olympic Park.
Kopp says there is an active group of residents within the community who have become increasing upset that some of the town houses, including Ali’s, have been rented out as student HMOs. Ali’s is claimed to be registered with the council as an HMO.
Kopp says she also has sympathy with the former minister over the attempted sale of the property; Alli claimed she re-listed the property because it failed to sell, before re-renting it.
“It's very difficult for landlords in general and in particularly here in Bow Quarter as around 70% of the properties are rented out.
“So it can be a struggle to find a buyer if you want to sell up - properties are standing empty for up to two years during which the landlord has to pay the running costs of the property and even a mortgage, so I understand Rushanara Ali’s decision to re-rent the property rather than keep on trying to sell it.
“I recently tried to sell one of my East London rental flats and it spent 12 months on the market until a buyer was found but that fell through so I re-rented it.
“So in my opinion and personal experience, I don't think that Rushanara has done anything wrong – she just re-let it at the market rate rent that her lettings company suggested she did, as any landlord would.”
Image credit: Prafula Kopp/Zoopla
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