REVELATIONS that a Scottish Labour councillor has at least 42 rental properties in his local area and beyond have been branded “appalling” by a tenants union.
Mo Razzaq, who represents the Blantyre ward on South Lanarkshire council, has a long list of houses and flats on his local authority council of interests.
A concerned reader alerted The National to Razzaq’s rental empire, noting that he claims to “represent the working class” while renting out so many properties.
The majority of Razzaq’s properties, 28 of them, are in Blantyre, the area he has represented for over 10 years.
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There are a further eight in Bellshill, two in Motherwell, and one each in Edinburgh, Bathgate, Hamilton, and Uddingston.
It is unclear how much Razzaq charges for his properties, and which ones are occupied. When we contacted him for comment, he did not respond to our request.
In an interview with Holyrood magazine in 2024, Razzaq was asked to describe the area he represents in one sentence.
“It’s a deprived area that has a very tight community with higher rates of unemployment and poverty,” he said at the time.
According to Citylets, one two-bedroom house in Belshill in the same street as one of Razzaq’s properties was let for £750 per month last year.
He also owns four flats in one block in Glasgow Road, Blantyre. According to Zoopla, one of the properties, a one bedroom flat, sold for £59,000 in August 2008. Another sold for £44,000 in October 2006.
On another street in Blantyre, he owns eight flats. This is down as one entry on his register of interests.
A number of properties are also linked to Amwal Property Ltd, where the councillor is listed as a director alongside Naim Razzaq and Rukhsana Razzaq.
A second firm, Homebrae Ltd, appears to have bought a number of properties this year.
Razzaq also lists owning a Premier shop in his register, which is also listed on his LinkedIn. However, this says his tenure as director for the community store ended in 2015.
Currently, he is listed as a co owner of S&R Razzaq Property in Blantyre, managing director of a Family Shopper in the town, and director of a Subway franchise on Blantyre’s Main Street.
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"No one should have 42 properties, let alone a councillor elected to represent the best interests of their constituents,” Ruth Gilbert, chair of Living Rent said.
“Right now the cost of living is hitting people hard and rent is the biggest outgoing for most tenants.
“If he charges the average North Lanarkshire rent for all 42 properties, he will be taking at least £375,000 a year from his tenants, over 14 times the minimum wage.
“How can he claim to represent his constituents when it is in his interest to take as much money from them as possible. Extorting that income from other people’s need for housing is appalling.
“When many are struggling to afford rent, mortgage costs, or are stuck in temporary accommodation, it is impossible to believe that someone who owns 42 properties could even begin to understand the real impact of the housing crisis on ordinary people.
“Our councils and governments should not be riddled with landlords. We need councillors who put constituents first, not those motivated by personal greed."
It comes after we told how Scottish Labour MSP Irshad Ahmed earns up to £60,000 from rental properties in the region he represents.
Councillor Razzaq was contacted for comment.