A Reform UK county council chair has resigned after a neighbouring local authority found he was illegally renting out two unsafe properties. 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 had “made public my contrition for the situation and willingness to correct everything under my responsibilities as owner of those two properties”. He described the recent news story as “an unfair distraction” from the council’s work, adding that it was his “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 and 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.
The 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”. George Finch, the Reform leader of the council, acknowledged the resignation and thanked Harris for his service, saying: “It would be inappropriate to comment on the details while the proper process is ongoing, and I would urge others not to speculate.”
A 75-year-old neighbour who did not want to be named said both properties had gradually fallen into disrepair and that Harris had refused to act. Another resident, 73, said she had spoken to someone living at one of the properties who said they had not had hot water for two years; she quoted him as saying: “We boil kettles and there’s an electric shower.” She said she was surprised to discover the landlord was a Reform party chair: “Somebody like that is of high standing. We asked him to sort out the problem, he totally ignored us.” Ben Clarke at Tamworth council said the state of the properties left the authority with “no choice but to act” and issue two emergency prohibition notices. The council said residents had been offered support and advice, and it was considering further enforcement action.
