Landlord who banned 'coloured people because they leave curry smell' has house burgled

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

A landlord who tried to ban “coloured tenants” because they left “curry” smells in his properties has issued a £10,000 reward after his own home was burgled.

Fergus Wilson, dubbed “Britain’s most-hated landlord”, said cash and a Nikon camera were stolen from his home near Maidstone, Kent, on Saturday.

The 70-year-old – who has become a millionaire through an empire which once included 1,000 homes – said anyone who came forward with information which led to the burglar being caught and prosecuted could claim £10,000.

The buy-to-let tycoon became infamous when his ban on non-white people renting his homes was overturned in court in 2017.

Other emails to his estate agents which were leaked to the media revealed he had also forbade them from signing up survivors of domestic abuse, single parents, zero-hours workers or plumbers as tenants.

Defending his policy to The Sun, Mr Wilson said: “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.”

In January, the controversial landlord announced he would evict hundreds of his tenants while selling his 300-strong portfolio.

Speaking earlier this year, he said: “I do feel sad for people who are going to be homeless, it will be hardest for parents with young children, because most landlords won’t accept them.”

His decision to quit the buy-to-let business came a month after his wife Judith was ordered to pay £25,000 in fines and legal costs because she failed to provide a disabled tenant with hot water.

In a letter sent to Kent Police reporting the break-in, Mr Wilson said a “Romanian man” was responsible, but provided no evidence to back up the claim.

A spokesman for Kent Police confirmed they were investigating the incident.