Corporate landlord is abusing human rights, says UN expert
Leilani Farha, the UN’s special rapporteur on adequate housing, attacked Akelius Residential Property AB’s “aggressive push for housing profits”.
She said: “Akelius’ business model, driven by the desire to maximise profits, has created a hostile environment for its tenants through a severe degradation of housing conditions, higher rents and increased risk or threat of eviction.” ...
Ms Farha said Akelius’ operations in the UK, Canada and Germany breach international human rights laws on the right to adequate housing...
While acknowledging the landlord’s charity work, she said Akelius “is [...] decreasing housing habitability, affordability and security of tenure”.
Akelius is 79% owned by charity The Akelius Foundation.
Commercial landlords “have an independent responsibility to respect human rights” and so “must conduct human rights due diligence in order to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address adverse impacts on the right to housing”, Ms Farha said...
On its website, the firm [says]: “The Akelius mission is to provide better living. Vacant apartments are renovated to the ‘first class’ standard – meaning finishes and craftsmanship akin to newly built, high-end condominiums.”
A spokesperson for Ms Farha said Akelius was given a 48-hour period to respond to her claims before she issued her statement to the media, in line with UN protocols...