Reform UK council chair resigns after ‘illegally renting out unsafe properties’

A Reform UK council chair has resigned after it was found he was illegally running two unsafe rental properties, according to a neighbouring local authority.Edward Harris, the chair of Warwickshire county council, owned two unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Staffordshire that had “multiple serious safety failures”, according to Labour-led Tamworth borough council.In a statement on Thursday announcing his resignation as chair and as a member of Reform UK, Harris said he took “full accountability” for the condition of the homes and “made public my contrition for the situation and willingness to correct everything under my responsibilities as owner of those two properties”.Other Reform politicians have voiced concerns about HMO properties. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian“A recent news story has been an unfair distraction of the great work of our council. While this matter is looked into, I feel it is my noble duty not to allow my chains of office to be put through a process.”Tamworth council described Harris as a “rogue landlord” and said he – as well as the management agent Touchstone – had ignored repeated warnings about the “dangerous conditions” at the properties.The council found the properties had no heating or access to hot water, no working fire alarms, inadequate cooking facilities and unsafe access to outdoor areas.“The six-bedroom properties, which housed multiple tenants, failed to meet even the most basic of living standards and legal requirements,” Tamworth said.Harris says he takes ‘full responsibility’ for the condition of the homes. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The GuardianThe news will be embarrassing for Reform UK as its candidate in the Gorton and Denton byelection in Greater Manchester, Matt Goodwin, declared tackling HMOs would be one of his priorities. Lee Anderson MP, the party’s chief whip, has previously raised concerns to the government about the “sharp increase in the number of HMOs, many of which are poorly managed”.The Reform leader of the council, George Finch, acknowledged the resignation and thanked Harris for his service as chair. “It would be inappropriate to comment on the details while the proper process is ongoing, and I would urge others not to speculate,” he said.One resident said the tenants went two years without hot water. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The GuardianA 75-year-old, who did not want to be named, who lives on the same street as Harris’s HMOs, said both properties had “gradually fell into disrepair” and Harris “just simply refused to do anything about them”.“What we hadn’t realised was quite what the state of the houses inside was and the pitiful state that residents were [in],” she said.Another resident, 73, said she had spoken to someone living at the one of the properties who said that they had not had hot water for two years. “I said: ‘Well, how do you manage?’ He said: ‘We boil kettles and there’s an electric shower.’”She described her surprise to discover the landlord was a Reform party chair at Warwickshire council. “Somebody like that is of high standing,” she said. “We asked him to sort out the problem, he totally ignored us.”The council issued emergency prohibition notices on the properties. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The GuardianBen Clarke at Tamworth council said the state of the properties left the local authority with “no choice but to act” and issue two emergency prohibition notices.The residents had been offered support and advice, the council said, adding that it was considering further enforcement action in relation to the properties owned by Harris.Touchstone has been contacted for comment.