Britain’s biggest and arguably most contentious buy-to-let landlord has banned ‘coloured people’ from renting his properties because ‘they make them smell of curry’.

Having already barred battered wives and plumbers from occupying his homes, Wilson, who runs a property empire in Kent alongside his wife Judith, has now caused further controversy by turning his attention to another innocent social group.

In an email to letting agent Evolution Properties, which set out requirements for potential tenants, the 69-year-old wrote: “No coloured people because of the curry smell at the end of the tenancy.”

Refusing to rent or let a property based on a prospective tenant’s race is unlawful and thankfully a spokesman for the letting agent, based in Ashford, said it would not implement the policy.

“We don’t condone this at all. We would never implement a policy like that,” the spokesman said. “We put through anyone to the landlord and it is up to the landlord who they take on.”

Wilson, of Boughton Monchelsea, told the Sun: “To be honest, we’re getting overloaded with coloured people.

“It is a problem with certain types of coloured people — those who consume curry — it sticks to the carpet.

“You have to get some chemical thing that takes the smell out. In extreme cases you have to replace the carpet.”

Wilson has unsurprisingly been criticised by the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate.

The organisation said: “You simply cannot treat people like this and deny them a place to live due to their skin colour.

“If people such as this man continue to choose tenants on the basis of ethnicity he should face the full force of the law.”

Wilson cannot be prosecuted over the email, but landlords can be sued by tenants for racial discrimination.