Reform UK’s first London councillor has been exposed as a “slum landlord”.
- 33 tenants crammed into one house
- Rats, broken showers & sinks left broken
- Rent demanded in cash
- Prosecuted & fined in court
- Green leader Zack Polanski was a tenant who helped expose it
🧵
- 33 tenants crammed into one house
- Rats, broken showers & sinks left broken
- Rent demanded in cash
- Prosecuted & fined in court
- Green leader Zack Polanski was a tenant who helped expose it
🧵
Mark Shooter was a long-time Tory councillor in Barnet.
But, in November 2024, he defected to Reform - becoming their first ever London councillor.
However, whilst railing against “broken Britain”, he was profiting from broken housing.
But, in November 2024, he defected to Reform - becoming their first ever London councillor.
However, whilst railing against “broken Britain”, he was profiting from broken housing.
A property company co-owned by Shooter - Kingscroft Estates - ran a Camden house carved into 14 tiny bedsits.
All 14 tenants had to share:
- a single kitchen
- a single bathroom
- two rusting and regularly broken showers
All 14 tenants had to share:
- a single kitchen
- a single bathroom
- two rusting and regularly broken showers
Tenants described:
- Rats in the building
- Broken sinks
- A shower left out of action for months
And, what’s more, Shooter’s agent demanded tenants paid their rent in envelopes stuffed with cash - a practice which was described as an attempt to “obscure any audit trail.”
- Rats in the building
- Broken sinks
- A shower left out of action for months
And, what’s more, Shooter’s agent demanded tenants paid their rent in envelopes stuffed with cash - a practice which was described as an attempt to “obscure any audit trail.”
However, the property - Hurdwick Place - was unlicensed as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
As a result, Camden Council prosecuted Shooter’s company.
Result:
- £4,000 fine
- £4,340 in costs
- The tribunal also ordered Kingscroft to repay £6,363 in rent to tenants.
As a result, Camden Council prosecuted Shooter’s company.
Result:
- £4,000 fine
- £4,340 in costs
- The tribunal also ordered Kingscroft to repay £6,363 in rent to tenants.
However, the fines hardly dented Kingscroft’s profits - with Hurdwick Place property generating the firm £84,000 a year in rent.
Shooter’s company also owns another property in Kilburn - a former 4-bedroom house converted into a 24-room HMO licensed for 33 residents.
Shooter’s company also owns another property in Kilburn - a former 4-bedroom house converted into a 24-room HMO licensed for 33 residents.
Incredibly, one of Shooter’s former tenants was the recently elected Green Party leader Zack Polanski.
Speaking to The Londoner website, Polanski claimed Shooter was “a rogue landlord” who tried to “buy him off” after legal action was taken against Kingscroft Estates.
Speaking to The Londoner website, Polanski claimed Shooter was “a rogue landlord” who tried to “buy him off” after legal action was taken against Kingscroft Estates.
Other former tenants have described Shooter as a “slum landlord”.
However, Shooter disputes this description - and, through his lawyer Mark Lewis, has denied wrongdoing, instead blaming third-party managers and calling the allegations “politically motivated”.
However, Shooter disputes this description - and, through his lawyer Mark Lewis, has denied wrongdoing, instead blaming third-party managers and calling the allegations “politically motivated”.
The full article is a great piece of investigative journalism - and it’s full of more incredible details.
You can read it here:
the-londoner.co.uk/reforms-first-…
You can read it here:
the-londoner.co.uk/reforms-first-…
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