Residents removed from temporary housing owned by councillor

More than 20 people had to be removed from temporary accommodation owned by a sitting Oldham councillor after the town hall found the building in a ‘substandard condition’.

Eight children and 16 adults were evacuated from a property on King Street owned by Coun Kamran Ghafoor.

The council said it was ‘forced to take urgent action to move the residents to new accommodation’ after ‘Coun Ghafoor failed in his duty to maintain a decent place’.

The contract between the Coun Ghafoor and the council started in 2020, four years before he was elected as representative for Hollinwood.

Due to a shortage in social housing, local authorities frequently pay private landlords to use their properties as emergency accommodation for those experiencing homelessness.

Coun Ghafoor claims the disrepair was a result of the council’s ‘own management failures’ and believes he is ‘being scapegoated for political reasons’.

A council spokesperson said it is the landlord who is responsible for maintaining the building.

Coun Elaine Taylor, cabinet member for decent housing, said: “To blame this negligence on the council is not only inaccurate but appalling.

"Coun Ghafoor has failed in his duty to maintain a decent place to house for those needing some of the most support in our borough.

"We are exploring what action to take against him as we will not tolerate our residents being housed in substandard accommodation.

“Repairs we had been told had happened have not been completed, which led to leaks and damp.

"That’s why we have been forced to take urgent action to move the residents to new accommodation.

"All but one of the residents have now been rehomed, and we expect to find a new place for the last remaining tenant imminently.”

It is understood that in addition to the leak, residents also experienced an electrical fault, which prompted a call to the fire service after smoke was seen rising from a lamp.

Coun Ghafoor claimed the fault was a one-off incident and the leaks stemmed from loose roof tiles, which were repaired at the end of last year, but were blown loose in a storm – and repaired again earlier this year.

He later suggested the only other leak was related to a shower being used improperly.

He refutes repairs did not take place.

Coun Ghafoor said: “I categorically reject the accusations made by the council, which I believe are politically motivated and designed to deflect from their own failings.

“Under the lease, it is the council’s responsibility to manage the building, oversee tenants, and report any maintenance concerns.

"As the building owner – not the manager – I was reliant on the council to inform me of any issues requiring action.

"When we were notified, we responded and resolved them promptly.

“It is only after my election in 2024 and my efforts to hold the council accountable that these accusations have surfaced.

"This is not about property standards—it is a clear and targeted political attack.

"I stand by my record, and I will not be scapegoated for the council’s own management failures.”

A copy of the lease shows the landlord is responsible for structural issues, whereas the council is responsible for upkeep of the rooms and for notifying Coun Ghafoor and his business associates of issues.

If the landlord fails to make repairs within 28 days of notification, the council is able to terminate the £7,000-a-month lease.

Coun Ghafoor accused the council of failing in its responsibilities after his business partner reported alleged rats and cleanliness issues.

Coun Taylor said that ‘if there were delays in pest control, this did not counteract his failure to comply with housing expectations’.

Coun Ghafoor was previously fined £1,500 for renting out a private home in 2012 that was unfit to live in.

At the time, he claimed the delays to repairs was due to ‘money problems’ and later claimed he’d been ‘singled out’ by the council for campaigning against a landlording licensing scheme, which town halls introduce to tackle areas with poor housing conditions.

Coun Ghafoor told the LDRS: “I had no choice but to plead [guilty].

"They come after you if you come after them.”

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