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A newly-appointed minister to the housing department one of 72 Tory landlords who voted against Commons bid to force owners to make homes fit for habitation.

Nigel Adams, who owns four properties which he rents out, has been asked to step in while homelessness minister Heather Wheeler takes time out to look after her ill husband.

Mr Adams, who makes at least £30,000 a year from renting out properties, joined 71 Tory colleagues who are also landlords to vote against a Labour amendment to the Housing and Planning Bill in 2016.

The rule would have forced landlords to ensure their properties were fit for human habitation.

(Image: South Wales Evening Post) (Image: birminghammail.co.uk)

But the Labour-proposed amendment was rejected by 312 votes to 219.

According to Parliament’s register of interests, 72 of the MPs who voted against the amendment are themselves landlords who derive an income from a property.

The entry for Mr Adams reveals that he co-owns one mixed use commercial and residential property in Selby, North Yorkshire which he co-owns with his wife.

(Image: South Wales Evening Post)

He also co-owns two residential properties in York with his wife and one residential property in Leeds.

Each of the properties is worth more than £100,000 and he earns rent worth more than £10,000 on each of the four.

Putting forward the amendment Labour's then shadow housing minister Teresa Pearce said the problems experienced by some renters - like mould on the walls - would not be tolerated in other consumer areas.

She asked: "Where else in modern day life could someone get away with this?"

"It's a consumer issue. If I purchased a mobile phone or a computer that didn't work, didn't do what it said it would or was unsafe I would take it back and get a refund.

But the Government dismissed the rule saying it introduced "unnecessary regulation".

Then Local Government minister Marcus Jones said in response to the amendment: "New clause 52 would result in unnecessary regulation and cost to landlords which would deter further investment and push up rents for tenants.

"Of course we believe that all homes should be of a decent standard and all tenants should have a safe place to live regardless of tenure, but local authorities already have strong and effective powers to deal with poor quality and safe accommodation and we expect them to use them."

The vote in 2016 was a whipped vote for all Government ministers to vote against the proposed legislation.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government source told the Daily Mirror the government are supporting a new Bill that would help ensure rented homes are safe and give tenants the right to take legal action when landlords fail in their duties.

And they said the government has announced tough new powers to crack down on bad practices, stamp out overcrowding and improve standards for those renting in the private sector.

An MHCLG spokesman said: “Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live, and we have put in place a number of measures to crackdown on the small number of rogue landlords.”

The government also revealed today that David Rutley will be stepping in to help in the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs while Thérèse Coffey MP recovers from a period of illness.