If there was an award for the most idiotic landlord, Fergus Wilson would be a shoo-in.
The buy-to-let tycoon, who owns hundreds of properties in Kent worth £100million, recently made headlines after his list of 'banned' potential tenants was leaked.
The list included 'coloured people because of the curry smell at the end of the tenancy', 'battered wives', 'single mothers and fathers' and 'plumbers'.
He's now defended his statement regarding 'coloured people', and said that the concerns come from an 'economic view, not a racist view'.
He told Metro: "My stance is that it is neither racist nor discrimination to refuse to take people from any ethnic background on the basis that there is a heightened risk of 'injury' to the house.
"A house left smelling of curry and the need for a new carpet after a six-month tenancy is an 'injury' to the house. It is a risk I am not prepared to take."
He claims that carpets are ruined as ingrained curry smells are not covered by the insurance. He added: "The landlord is his own insurer here. No insurance company will offer block insurance for carpets spoilt by curry but will do for carpets spoilt by leaks or other insured perils.
"Let me be perfectly honest on this point. In a predominantly white English area, almost all landlords will not let to Indian and Pakistani tenants because of the smell of curry."
Obviously, the public has not taken too kindly to his views. Also, since when was curry exclusively eaten by one particular kind of person? I myself am very partial to a madras.
When asked about whether or not he's racist, Mr Wilson said: "I am not racist and my beef is with curry not with the colour of someone's skin. I have merely taken an economic decision.
"It is the same with dog owners and smokers. I do not feel able to take them."
Mr Wilson has reported some of the content to the police, including a YouTube video in which he's referred to as a 'racist dickwad'.
A Kent Police spokesman said: "Kent Police is aware of this issue and will be working to establish if any offences have taken place."
Featured Image Credit: PA ImagesTopics: Ban
