Rachel Reeves was warned twice about needing a selective licence

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, was warned by not one but two letting agents that she required a licence to rent out her Dulwich home, the Mail on Sunday reports.

Yet she went ahead and let the property illegally for £3,200 a month.

The fresh revelation piles more pressure on the Chancellor, who had claimed to the Prime Minister she was unaware of the legal requirement.

The reports that before Ms Reeves and her husband engaged Harvey & Wheeler to manage their South London home, they had also spoken to the prestigious agency Knight Frank, which reportedly told them about the licensing rules.

Despite this, the property was later rented out without the necessary selective licence.

Prime Minister must investigate

Emails revealed last week between Ms Reeves’ husband and Harvey & Wheeler showed detailed conversations about the requirement to obtain a licence, contradicting her earlier insistence to Sir Keir Starmer that she did not know she was breaking the law.

A Knight Frank spokesperson told the newspaper: “It is standard procedure to notify all clients of their legal and regulatory obligations when letting a property.”

The latest disclosure raises further doubts about Ms Reeves’ version of events and her claim that she was unaware of the rules.

Questions about Chancellor’s conduct

Shadow Treasury Minister Gareth Davies said: “Each day brings fresh questions about Rachel Reeves’ account.

“This latest revelation casts serious doubt on her claim not to have known about the need for a licence.

“Her story seems to shift with every explanation. The Prime Minister must now get to the bottom of this and order a full investigation without delay.”

Sir Keir has already reprimanded his Chancellor for failing to review the correspondence with Harvey & Wheeler before claiming innocence, but so far insists there is ‘no need’ for further sanction.

Southwark won’t act

Southwark Council has confirmed that no action will be taken against Ms Reeves despite the breach.

Normally, landlords renting without a licence can face fines of up to £30,000 or even prosecution under the Housing Act 2004.

A council spokesperson said: “Enforcement action such as fines are reserved for those who do not apply within that time or where a property is found to be in an unsafe condition.”

The Labour-run authority, which holds 48 of 63 council seats, added that when it becomes aware of an unlicensed property, it issues a warning letter giving the landlord 21 days to apply.

Tenants claim back rent

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reports that tenants across the country have begun contacting legal charities about claiming back rent from unlicensed landlords.

Justice for Tenants, a charity endorsed by Southwark Council, said calls about rent repayment orders had risen sharply since the story broke.

Outreach lead Al McClenahan said: “Our helpline services have seen a significant increase in the number of enquiries from tenants who discovered their landlord is unlicensed following news about the Chancellor’s own failure to license her property.

“Now, a lot of these callers have correctly identified that their landlord lacks a licence but misunderstand the law as their property isn’t covered by licensing rules.

“However, many concerned tenants do live in areas with additional HMO or Selective Licensing, meaning they could take action against their landlord – and get up to 12 months’ rent repaid.”