Landlords Own 40% Ex Council Housesx - GMB

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public record as part of the investigation using the Land Registry and other sources. Below and in
notes to editors is the information GMB has established on some of the main landlords.
The Gows: Looking at a single block in Putney (Sherfield Gardens), it was found that out of the 120
properties, 90 are leasehold, with 62 having an owner with a different address (or known to live
elsewhere). Of these 62 properties, Charles and Karin Gow own 40 with Charles alone owning 35 of
these. He owns KCG Property (www.kcgproperty.com), a Roehampton Lettings and Management
company, and both are directors of PCB (Surrey) LLP. Wandsworth says only one owner has more
than 32 properties so Charles Gow may own the 93 properties mentioned.
The Smiths: The Birkett Smiths own properties across London through the Guernsey incorporated
companies Chelsea Estates Ltd and Birkett Estates Ltd. They also have a number of properties
registered in their own names: Alexander Birkett Smith, his wife Helena, brother Nicholas and his
wife Alexandra. From our searches, Chelsea Estates Ltd own 30. With a related company, Birkett
Estates and individuals of these companies, the total owned in Wandsworth is at least 66. Alexander
is an ex venture capitalist having worked for Rothschild’s before setting up his residential property
business, with his brother, and running two farms near Scarborough which are in receipt of
European Farm subsidy payments. The brothers are directors of Daleside Estates Ltd, Smith Street
Ltd, Overdale Farms Ltd and Smith Street Estates Ltd. Nicholas is also a director of the Portman
Hunt, a Dorset based Hunt, and Daniel Lambert Ltd along with his wife Alexandra.
Palmyra Properties: The Palmyra Properties, CPIF group of companies own 46 leasehold properties
where Wandsworth Borough own the freehold. Palmyra Properties is Jersey based, CPIF Property,
incorporated in Guernsey, Affordable Property Investments incorporated in the British Virgin Islands
and Skyprops is incorporated in Mauritius.
Of the other companies searched, Drumree Asset Holdings (1 property) and Entreprises Generalles
(Investissements) (1 property) are both incorporated in the British Virgin Islands.
Cherwell Investments Ltd (cherwellinvestments.com): Cherwell Investments own 11 leasehold
properties where Wandsworth Borough own the freehold. Directors are Alexander Thompson and
Thomas Holroyd, both directors of several other property investment companies. The website states
that they own ‘a large number of properties in a small area of London (SW4, SW11, SW12 and
SW18) We have focused on this for the past 20 years……We are constantly adding to and upgrading
our portfolio in the Battersea, Balham, Clapham and Wandsworth area.
The Lockes: Marcus and Susan Locke own at least 11 leasehold properties where Wandsworth
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