Chancellor Rachel Reeves has released a series of emails amid mounting scrutiny over her adherence to housing regulations.
The Chancellor rented out her family home in South London after relocating to Downing Street. However, reports this week revealed that she did not possess the necessary rental license from the local council.
The property is situated in an area where Southwark Council mandates that private landlords secure a selective license, incurring a one-time fee of £945.
Reeves has issued an apology, initially stating that she was unaware of the licensing requirement.
On Thursday, Reeves revised her statement, explaining that her husband discovered emails indicating the letting agent had informed them of the necessity for a license and offered to handle the application on their behalf.
She has made public two email chains, dated between 17 July and 13 August 2024, documenting the correspondence between Nicholas Joicey, Reeves’ husband, and Harvey & Wheeler letting agents regarding the procedures for renting out the property.
In an email dated 17 July, the letting agent informed Reeves’s husband that electrical tests were required on the property, adding: “Once we have that to hand we will need to apply for a licence under the Selective Licensing Scheme via Southwark Council.”
Another email from the letting agent seemed to confirm that the company was managing the license application.
In an email dated 22 July, the letting agent asked Reeves’s husband “I can arrange the Selective Licence once the tenants move in – would you like me to arrange this for you as well after move in?”
Four days later, on 26 July, Reeves’s husband inquired about the cost of the selective license and other related expenses, stating: “Subject to this, I would be grateful if you could arrange these.”
The letting agent responded the same day, advising that the cost was £900 and offering to arrange for the electric test needed to get the licence too.
On 13 August, Reeves’s husband belatedly replied “yes please, do go ahead” and arrange for the licence.
In a response the same day, the letting agent said “I will do the Selective Licence”.
Letting agents Harvey & Wheeler stated that the property manager responsible for submitting the license application had “suddenly resigned” before the tenancy commenced.
In a statement, owner Gareth Martin said: “Unfortunately, the lack of application was not picked up by us as we do not normally apply for licences on behalf of our clients; the onus is on them to apply.
“We have apologised to the owners for this oversight.
“At the time the tenancy began, all the relevant certificates were in place and if the licence had been applied for, we have no doubt it would have been granted.
“Our clients would have been under the impression that a licence had been applied for. Although it is not our responsibility to apply, we did offer to help with this.
“We deeply regret the issue caused to our clients as they would have been under the impression that a licence had been applied for.”
A spokesperson for the Conservatives asserted that, irrespective of assurances from the estate agent, Reeves and her husband were “responsible” for ensuring a rental license had been obtained.
They have urged Sir Keir Starmer to launch a “proper investigation” into the matter.
In her updated statement on Thursday, Reeves said: “As I said to you today, I am sorry about this matter and accept full responsibility for it.
“You rightly expect the highest standards from ministers serving in your government and I have therefore shared the correspondence between my husband and the agency with the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, and I am happy to answer any further questions required.”
The revelations come at a politically sensitive time for Reeves, who is preparing for a Budget next month amidst speculation the government could break a manifesto commitment not to raise income tax.