Britain's 'worst landlord' is left with £60k bill after drug dealers turned THREE of his properties into cannabis farms

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

Britain's 'worst landlord' has been left with a £60,000 bill after drug dealers turned three of his properties into cannabis factories.
Fergus Wilson, 76, once Britain's biggest buy–to–let landlord with almost 1,000 properties in Kent, caused outrage in 2017 when he tried to ban 'coloured' tenants from living in his houses, stating they left carpets 'smelling of curry'.
More controversy followed when a further 'ban list' emerged, telling letting agents to block tenants with kids, those who were on benefits and even 'battered wives' and 'plumbers'.
In a more recent scandal, Mr Wilson was handed a suspended prison sentence last year for breaching an injunction preventing him from harassing council staff at Ashford Borough Council.
The property tycoon and police have now uncovered three illegal cultivations at houses owned by him in Ashford, Aylesford and Boughton Monchelsea, found during routine checks at the homes.
Mr Wilson uncovered the first one at a property in Lodge Wood Drive, Ashford, on April 11, before alerting police.
Officers then discovered cannabis plants growing at two more houses, which had previously been emptied in preparation to sell them.
Mr Wilson told KentOnline: 'The first thing I noticed that surprised me was that all the windows had been boarded up.
'It was clear to me it was what we call a cannabis factory – I wasn't too impressed at all.'
A man was reportedly inside the first house, but scurried off before police officers arrived.
Chief Inspector Omid Changizi, of Kent Police, said in a statement: 'Kent Police regards tackling the cultivation of cannabis as a priority as it is often managed by organised crime groups.
'The offenders regularly use rental properties and can produce a considerable amount of the drug using sophisticated hydroponic equipment.
'Where we receive reports of cannabis cultivation at an address, officers will be promptly deployed to arrest any suspects at the scene. All plants and equipment are seized and a forensic examination completed to identify those responsible.
'Between 12 April and 27 April 2025, we received reports that three separate rental properties had been used for the cultivation of cannabis. Officers attended the premises in Larkfield, Maidstone and Ashford, and hydroponic equipment and some cannabis plants were seized.
'Nobody was arrested at that stage and forensic examinations were completed. Investigations are continuing with officers pursuing a number of lines of enquiry to identify those responsible.'
Last year, Mr Wilson was accused of harassing councillors despite a previous court injunction which cost him £125,000.
He was handed a suspended prison sentence after being found in contempt of court for breaching the injunction preventing him from harassing staff and councillors at Ashford Borough Council.
The High Court hearing followed a previous case when the authority obtained an injunction restraining the millionaire and ordering that he only had contact with one senior council officer.
But the court heard he had continued to harass staff and councillors on multiple occasions.
In May 2022, he was ordered to pay £125,000 to the authority as a part payment 'on account' while the full costs were assessed.
Mr Wilson built an impressive property empire by leveraging his background as a maths teacher.
He and his wife Judith Wilson started by purchasing a house near their home in the early 1990s, rented it out, and used the equity to finance more purchases.