Rogue tory landlord prosecuted by his own council

A Camden councillor has been prosecuted by the council he works for after failing to carry out improvement works to a rented property he owns.

Jonny Bucknell used to be Camden Conservatives’ spokesman for housing, and has been a councillor for Belsize Ward in Labour-run Camden since 2010.

Appearing at Highbury Magistrates’ Court, the 58-year-old admitted to failing to carry out necessary improvements on a home he rents out in Primrose Hill, London. He asked for more time to prepare a statement of mitigating circumstances before sentencing – potentially later this week.

He was first ordered to make improvements to the flat on 22 August 2014, but failed to comply with the improvement notice within the required period of time.

Cllr Bucknell later moved the tenant into temporary accommodation at another property he owns in the same street.

But magistrates heard there was a period of time in which the tenant was still living in the home requiring improvement.

Cllr Bucknell represented himself in court and said he initially intended to plead not guilty, but changed his mind at the last minute. He claimed there were “significant mitigating circumstances” to his failure to act on the improvement notice.  

Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.