The Good Landlord driven out by a "Neat Trick" - Leonard Rigsby

When the council inspector first visited my tenanted property, they paid me the ultimate compliment. "You're just the sort of landlord we like," they told me. "This is the best property we have ever seen!" They even mentioned wanting to rent from me themselves.

This didn't surprise me. I've always believed in providing high-quality homes for my tenants. My rooms are so large that, by the council's own calculations, I could have housed as many as eight people. But I resisted, knowing it would erode the flat's condition, disturb my neighbours, and create an uncomfortable living situation. My priority was for my tenants to have a great place to call home.

This sometimes meant accepting a significant financial hit. When my previous tenants left, my new tenant was a family. The change in tenancy meant a considerable reduction in my potential income. My new tenant, a single mother, was struggling to afford the growing London rents and was facing the prospect of being banished from the city. I was happy to make it work. For me, providing a secure, stable, and happy home took precedence over maximising profit.

This is where the story takes a frustrating turn.

The council’s visit was part of a new policy. My property, which the council had made a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) due to the three unrelated tenants, was no longer. It now required a “selective license” because it was a home for a single family. Despite having been inspected just eight months prior, the council insisted on a new visit. They did not inform me about this and, unlike me, they did not even remove their shoes in my tenant’s home. They checked all the same things again, including the sizes of the rooms. Their official findings? A fire blanket was too close to the hob, and a light bulb had a missing keeper. They opened and closed the windows, and so on and so forth. Since that day, I have heard not a sausage. “Oh, Miss Jones!” my tenant heard me say in exasperation, only to have her respond with a knowing smile and say, “Mister Rigsby – that’s the council for you!”

My tenant, a lovely woman who had lived happily in a poorly maintained flat for 15 years with no inspections , felt invaded. She felt vulnerable and powerless. The inspectors were polite and professional, but that didn't matter. Her sense of privacy had been violated.

My tenant's experience is a microcosm of a much larger problem. The bureaucracy and regulation, particularly the new selective licensing schemes, are not just targeting "rogue landlords." They are making life so difficult and financially unviable for good landlords that many are now leaving the market. "Hurrah!" says Generation Rent.

Advocacy groups and even some of my friends argue that when a landlord sells a property, it remains on the market. This is a "neat trick" of an argument, but it is fundamentally incorrect. I have already sold my first property, and I cannot wait to offload the rest. My former tenant recently bought the two-bedroom flat. She now lives there with her boyfriend, with the second bedroom sitting empty.

A rental home is not just a house; it is a source of shelter for people who need it. When good landlords sell up, those homes are removed from the rental stock forever. My former flat no longer provides beds for two separate people; it now provides a home for a single couple. This scenario will be replicated throughout the country.

I believe the government, by expanding the definition of HMOs and piling on more bureaucracy, hopes landlords will be incentivised to cram more beds into their properties to meet demand. But this is a strategy fraught with difficulties. It's pushing out the very people—like me—who are willing to invest in high-quality housing.

The Labour government has been handed a poison chalice. The housing crisis is not just about a lack of new homes. It’s also about the slow, deliberate erosion of the private rented sector, driven by policies that punish responsible landlords and fail to understand the real-world impact on tenants.

I am a good landlord, and my tenants tell me this. Why do I believe them? Because they are good tenants whom I like to think I am assisting through life, and so they have no need to lie. But I am also a person who can no longer justify the financial and personal cost of staying in a market that seems intent on forcing people like me out, while painting me as some kind of Rachman. The price of this will be paid by tenants, in the form of higher rents and fewer quality homes. Section 21 framers, please note.

THE BIG RETORT

3i Atlas - Is the truth about to be revealed?

CONFIDENTIAL BRIEFING 3i ATLAS: PROJECT HELIOS REASSESSMENT – TOP SECRET

TO: J. Carter, Director, Project Helios FROM: Dr. Anya Sharma, Lead Analyst, Anomaly Division DATE: 22 August 2025 SUBJECT: Re-evaluation of 3I/ATLAS Trajectory and Dr. A. Loeb's Hypothesis

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Initial observations of 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1) have been re-analyzed in light of a persistent, subtle anomaly in its trajectory. Data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) now suggest a non-gravitational acceleration that is inconsistent with outgassing from a cometary body. The trajectory is not merely hyperbolic but appears to be actively, albeit minutely, correcting its path. This finding lends significant credence to the "technological artifact" hypothesis put forth by Dr. Avi Loeb. This paper recommends an immediate, highest-priority re-tasking of all available assets to observe and characterize 3I/ATLAS, with a particular focus on its behavior during perihelion.

2. BACKGROUND

Since its discovery on July 1, 2025, 3I/ATLAS has been classified as the third known interstellar object (ISO). Its extreme eccentricity and velocity marked it as an object on an unbound trajectory, destined to pass through our solar system and return to interstellar space. Throughout July and early August, multiple agencies observed the object, confirming its hyperbolic path and identifying an anomalous brightness profile and lack of a pronounced cometary tail, as predicted by Loeb.

The scientific consensus, however, maintained that these anomalies were explainable by a unique cometary composition or a pre-existing cloud of dust. Loeb's hypothesis of a controlled, technological artifact was largely dismissed as speculative.

3. RECENT FINDINGS

Over the past week, data collected from the JWST and the Rubin Observatory has provided a more precise orbital solution. The key finding is a persistent, non-random acceleration vector in the direction of orbital prograde.

• JWST Spectrometry: High-resolution infrared spectroscopy of 3I/ATLAS's "coma" does not show the expected signatures of water, carbon monoxide, or other common cometary volatiles. Instead, the spectrum is featureless, consistent with a cloud of highly refined, non-volatile dust particles. The thermal profile indicates a surface temperature far lower than would be expected for an actively outgassing body.
• Rubin Observatory Positional Data: The Rubin Observatory's unparalleled sky coverage has provided a continuous stream of high-precision astrometric data. This data has allowed us to precisely measure the object's path. While the displacement is small (<100 kilometers over the past 30 days), it is statistically significant (>5σ). This displacement is consistent with a continuous, low-thrust propulsion system, rather than the impulsive, random-vector outgassing from a comet.

4. SHIFTING THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The combination of the spectroscopic and astrometric data is problematic for the conventional cometary model. The lack of cometary volatiles makes outgassing an untenable explanation for the observed acceleration. The only remaining natural hypothesis is that 3I/ATLAS is a rare, dust-rich interstellar asteroid—but this does not account for the observed acceleration.

The non-gravitational acceleration vector, aligned in a way that would alter its trajectory over time, suggests a deliberate course correction. This directly supports the core of Dr. Loeb's controversial hypothesis: that 3I/ATLAS is not a passive rock, but a "technological artifact," potentially a passive light sail or an active probe. The purpose of this subtle maneuver remains unknown, but it has the effect of tightening its path through the inner solar system, bringing it closer to the orbits of the terrestrial planets.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS

The window for detailed observation is narrowing rapidly as 3I/ATLAS approaches perihelion. We must act with urgency.

1. Elevate Threat/Opportunity Level: Re-classify 3I/ATLAS from a purely scientific curiosity to a dual-category target of both scientific and strategic interest.
2. Re-tasking of Assets:
• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO): Prioritize MRO's HiRISE camera for an urgent observation campaign during its close approach to Mars on October 2, 2025. This is our best opportunity for a high-resolution image.
• Space-Based Observatories: Direct JWST and Hubble to continue spectroscopic and astrometric observations, pushing the limits of their sun-avoidance protocols. We need a continuous data stream, no matter how faint.
• Earth-Based Arrays: Coordinate a global effort with radio and optical telescopes to listen for any signal or change in light profile that might be linked to a propulsive event.
3. Establish Communications Protocol: Initiate a secure, limited-access communications channel with Dr. Loeb and his team. While his hypothesis was dismissed, his insights are now critical. His work must be treated with the same urgency and confidentiality as our own.
4. Public Communication Strategy: Maintain the current public stance that 3I/ATLAS is a comet. Any premature disclosure of this new data could lead to panic or misinformation. A controlled narrative is essential until we have definitive proof of its nature.

6. CONCLUSION

The data has shifted. What was once considered a fringe theory is now the most plausible explanation for the observed behavior of 3I/ATLAS. The object is demonstrating signs of controlled, intentional motion. We must prepare for the possibility that our solar system is not being casually visited by a piece of rock, but by a purposeful traveler.

Subject: Follow-up Briefing on Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

Date: August 30, 2025

To: Project Lead, 3I/ATLAS Intercept Mission

From: Analysis Team

Summary of Recent Developments

This memo provides a critical update on the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, incorporating new data from the Gemini South and James Webb Space Telescopes. These observations have provided key, anomalous data points that challenge the conventional cometary model and strengthen the hypothesis of a technological origin.

Key Findings:

1. Detection of an Anti-Solar Tail: Deep imaging from the Gemini South telescope on August 27, 2025, revealed a weak, teardrop-shaped tail pointing in the anti-Sun direction. This is the first direct visual evidence of a tail-like structure, and its orientation is consistent with a body shaped by the solar wind and radiation pressure, not a conventional comet tail.

2. Unusual Chemical Composition: Spectroscopic analysis from the Very Large Telescope (VLT) has made a surprising discovery: the presence of nickel without iron in the gas plume. As both elements are typically produced together in supernova explosions, their decoupled existence is a strong indicator of industrial processing and a significant departure from natural cometary composition.

3. High CO₂ to H₂O Ratio: Data from the James Webb Space Telescope and SPHEREx confirms a CO₂-dominated plume with a strikingly low percentage of water and carbon monoxide. This composition is highly unusual for a natural comet and suggests a different formation environment or a non-natural outgassing mechanism.

4. Anomalously Large Nucleus Size: The flux detected by SPHEREx suggests a nucleus diameter of 46 kilometers. This is a million times larger than 2I/Borisov, which is statistically improbable for a natural object given the estimated density of interstellar objects.

5. Ecliptic Plane Alignment: The object's trajectory remains anomalously aligned with the ecliptic plane of our solar system. This alignment suggests a deliberate path and adds to the statistical improbability of its natural origin.

Next Steps:

As 3I/ATLAS approaches perihelion on October 29, 2025, its enhanced outgassing will provide a critical opportunity for further analysis. We must focus our remaining observational assets on obtaining higher-resolution data to:

• Confirm the physical properties and shape of the nucleus, particularly using the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

• Secure additional high-resolution spectroscopic data to reconfirm the presence of nickel without iron and search for other trace elements.

• Monitor the evolution of the anti-solar tail and gas plumes to better understand their formation mechanisms.

Conclusion:

The recent flood of data from multiple observatories has moved the 3I/ATLAS object from a curious anomaly to a major scientific enigma. The confluence of a massive, non-cometary nucleus, a bizarre chemical composition, and a non-random trajectory increasingly supports the hypothesis that 3I/ATLAS is a manufactured object. Its perihelion passage may finally provide the clarity we seek on its true nature and origin.

Convicted: How Councils prosecute for profit

What’s happening in Labour-run Lewisham today has left me thinking. I once believed in the ideals of the Labour party: justice, fairness, and accountability – but, not now. These are just the empty sloganeering of an elite few in Lewisham's town hall and Parliament.

In truth, Lewisham is not a borough of sanctuary but a place for Pocaneering. Ordinary residents—entrepreneurs, good Samaritans, and hardworking immigrants—are being treated not as part of the community, but as financial targets. All in the name of planning enforcement. All under the guise of legality. And all tied to the toxic incentives of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

The sand and cement storefront scandal – Criminalised

Let’s begin with local DIY shop owner Kevin Bottomley, reported here under KJ Building Supplies and our successful campaign Save KJs. He was selling small quantities of sand and cement from his shop's driveway – the kind of side hustle long part of Lewisham life, helping neighbours avoid a trip to large retailers. The council prosecuted Kevin under planning law.

Following our findings on this case, the POCA incentive was dropped. But they still left Kevin, in the twilight of his years, with a criminal record. What for? Drugs, prostitution, slavery? No. For selling building materials from the side of his shop without a change of use approval. Something he had been doing for years. 

The council prosecution was expensive. Readers will be keen to note that they lost over £30,000 in taxpayer funds in bringing the trial. Much of the cost appears due to their employment of expensive outside law firms (more on which later) and the actions of enforcement officers whose approach some might consider overzealous. However, Kevin wasn’t an immigrant. Neither did he have his passport seized.

The foster carers - Criminalised

Then there’s the couple who took in troubled teenagers—young people that Lewisham itself had failed to care for. Their thank-you from the council? Prosecution—because their loft had one skylight too many. One extra pane of glass in a conservation area was enough for Lewisham to drag them through the courts. They were given criminal convictions for a single skylight too many. There was no POCA incentive in this case. Neither was an immigrant. Neither did they have their passports seized.

However, these cases do serve as a stark reminder that planning enforcement notices should not be ignored, because they may become the gateway to potential abuses of a power in search of profit.

Lewisham puts Meze through the mangle

We’ve heard what happened to the DIY merchant and the foster carers. Now, consider what is happening to Turkish restaurateurs, the “Meze Mangal” Goks.

Most shockingly, I present the case of Ahmet and Sahin Gok to show a stark disparity in the treatment of British citizens who are also immigrants. Both born in Turkey, owners of the beloved, award-winning restaurant Meze Mangal, which lies at 245 Lewisham Way. Known across London for its hospitality and food, the restaurant was a local landmark and community hub. Until the council saw it as something else.

Following a complaint about cooking odours and noise, the Gok brothers installed a support platform for a ventilation system. A small planning matter, handled informally in many boroughs. However, in Lewisham, it became an opportunity of a different kind. Known as "a POCA".

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) was introduced by the Labour Government. It gives authorities powers to investigate, seize, and confiscate assets believed to be the proceeds of criminal conduct. Its aim is to prevent criminals from benefiting from their crimes. Critics argue, myself included, it can be applied disproportionately, especially when near-bankrupt local authorities directly benefit financially from confiscation orders. And especially when bounty may be found in criminalising those most vulnerable.

It's worth noting that Lewisham Council's Planning Enforcement Manager,  a Future London Leaders' candidate, states that after a restructuring of the team and a string of successful prosecutions, they are now undertaking their first POCA case. The manager wrote Lewisham's Planning Enforcement Policy. This suggests a new, aggressive strategic direction for the planning enforcement team. Is the Gok case Lewisham's inaugural POCA venture?

If so, here's what happened to the Goks:

• Their nightmare began with a complaint about their kitchen extraction system. They spent considerably to adjust it. The council then invited a retrospective planning application, but turned it down. The Goks appealed, and lost.

• What followed was confusing. Lewisham Council issued three enforcement notices, then withdrew the prosecution in January 2020. The Goks believed the ordeal was over. But it wasn't.

• COVID struck. Months later, Lewisham's enforcement team re-engaged, revealing the prosecution was still active. Weeks later, their mother died, adding to their grief.

• Then, in March 2023, whilst caring for their ill father, a guilty plea was entered in court in their absence. This appears to have given the council a windfall.

• Having acquired criminal convictions, Lewisham shunted the case up to Woolwich Crown Court. It now seeks £544,388 in "profits" from the hard-working Gok brothers, for  what it claims was a criminal enterprise – simply for an unapproved extractor. (Councils increasingly use the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) for financial gain in planning breaches, with as much as 37.5% going directly to the council.)

• Sadly, their father then died. At their trial, 10 months later, the prosecution was sceptical about their reasons for stalling, even claiming they were being evasive or fabricating their reasons. They then took the drastic step of seizing their British passports, treating them as flight risks. This prevented them from dealing with family matters, including funerals, and from living their lives as all British citizens should.

• If that wasn't enough, Lewisham Council also froze their business bank account, strangling their livelihood and resulting in the bank being unable to process payments, forcing them to return money to diners.

Whilst Lewisham's planning enforcement manager boasts about leadership, the Goks are now in POCA purgatory. Their business is strangled. Their family endures unimaginable stress. All caused by Lewisham Council's punitive, disproportionate, and overzealous force, over an extractor fan.

Fortunately, with the aid of a defence barrister, Quentin Hunt, their passports have just been returned... for one month. Following which they must return them to Lewisham Police Station.

When planning law becomes a revenue stream for cash-strapped councils

Sometimes prosecution may not be about protecting the public or serving its interest. It may also be about profiting from prosecution. Under POCA, councils receive a slice of the recovered funds - up to 37.5%. A further 12.5% goes to the courts, and the remainder to Keir Starmer's government.

Cash-strapped Lewisham is treating its own residents as financial opportunities. When the law is bent to serve the budget, not the people, it’s not enforcement—it’s extortion in red tape.

Labour in name, authoritarian and Orwellian in practice

It beggars belief that this is happening under a Labour administration. Or does it?

• Where is the local accountability?

• Where are the ward meetings that once allowed residents to raise concerns about such things?

• Why are we criminalising the very people who support this borough—economically, socially, and morally?

Silence at the top

I have raised these concerns—in writing—with both Mayor Brenda Dacres and MP Vicky Foxcroft.  However, whilst the wheels of justice may move slowly, the silence surrounding this potential injustice is damning.

To be fair, the local ward member Councillor Stephen Penfold has now managed to obtain an audience with Mayor Dacres soon to dicuss this, and he is to be joined by MP Vicky Foxcroft. They should find that the roots of this problem trace back to a previous Lewisham mayor, Damien Egan. The prosecution of the Goks began during his mayoralty. He subsequently left his mayoral post to become an MP in Bristol North East, leaving complex cases behind in Lewisham.

What TheBigRetort can reveal is... that Meze Mangal was a venue frequented by many, including, ironically, members of Lewisham Council themselves, who held evenings out, Christmas parties, and even mounted campaigns on behalf of Labour there. Though it  is soon to shut its doors to all.

The perversity of this situation is stark. If the POCA judgement favours the very council that has benefited from Meze Mangal over the years, including its former Mayor Damien Egan, it would be a profound blow to democracy and to the trust of many of Lewisham's immigrants who sought refuge in what was once championed as a 'Borough of Sanctuary'. This outcome would contradict the very spirit of such a designation.

A Party that fails to listen will fail the People

This isn’t about a few planning enforcement cases. It’s about an unsafe culture. One where:

• Dissent is ignored.

• Participation is shut down.

• And residents are prosecuted to balance the books.

The seizure of passports from immigrant British citizens is appalling, as is the criminalisation of upstanding citizens.

If you are a Labour member, Lewisham resident, customer, or councillor reading this, I urge you to ask: Is this what we stand for?

Because if this continues, it won’t be the residents who need to answer for POCA—it’ll be the party that continues to let a national scandal happen of Post Office scandal-type proportions. Mark my words, this will be a national trend, one with dire consequences for truth and justice, and for all.

THE BIG RETORT

WHAT IF THE COSMIC BACKGROUND RADIATION IS A UNIVERSAL LIBRARY?

What if the cosmic background radiation is a universal library? What if, from the dawn of time, countless advanced civilisations, spanning from the universe's beginnings to its furthest reaches, have failed to realise the universe itself holds a means—a cosmological way—to both store and retrieve the echoes of all civilisations locked within it? A cosmological library simply waiting to be opened.

The universe, having written its story upon the cosmic background, surpasses the very notion of "Space, the ultimate frontier." It reveals itself to be a library without end. Within the cosmic background, every story waiting to be read, the pages of all civilisations woven into the fabric of spacetime. All that has been, all that will be—from beginning to end—like whispers carried in the inexorable aether, waiting. More than just the cosmic background: more than just leftover radiation. The cosmic background radiation may be our universe's memory, and our journey into its depths may have only just begun. What if the cosmic background isn't just noise? What if it holds the sum total of everything that ever was, waiting to be discovered and played back? What IF?

A Lingering Debt: The UK's final settlement of slave trade compensation

In 1833, the British Empire abolished slavery, a landmark decision that marked the end of a cruel and inhumane practice. However, the legacy of this dark chapter in history continued to reverberate long after the chains were broken. One of the most enduring consequences was the issue of compensation for slave owners.To appease slave owners and ensure a smooth transition away from slavery, the British government offered substantial compensation. This amounted to £20 million, a significant sum at the time, representing approximately 40% of the government's annual expenditure. The money was intended to compensate owners for their "loss" of enslaved people.

A Lingering Debt

Despite this initial payment, the full financial burden of the slave trade persisted for centuries. The compensation was rolled into a government bond known as an "undated gilt," which didn't have a fixed repayment date. This, combined with the government's economic challenges and the complex nature of debt management, delayed the final settlement.

The Final Payment

It wasn't until 2015 that the UK government finally redeemed the remaining undated gilt, effectively paying off the last installment of the slave trade compensation. This marked the end of a debt that had spanned nearly two centuries.

A Controversial Legacy

The decision to compensate slave owners remains a controversial topic. Critics argue that it was morally wrong to reward those who had profited from the enslavement of human beings. Defenders of the compensation contend that it was necessary to prevent further unrest and ensure a peaceful transition away from slavery.

The Unseen Beneficiaries

While the final payment brought closure to this historical debt, the identities of the ultimate beneficiaries remain largely unknown. The passage of time, the complexity of family lineages, and privacy concerns have made it difficult to trace the descendants of the original slave owners who received compensation.

Conclusion

The UK's final settlement of slave trade compensation in 2015 marked the end of a long and complex chapter in the country's history. While the financial debt has been repaid, the moral and historical implications of the slave trade continue to be debated. As we look back on this dark period, it is essential to acknowledge the suffering endured by enslaved people and to work towards a more just and equitable future.

Job ad reveals private landlords targeted as POCA “income”

 

A London council job advertisement sparks concerns about the true motives of creating a private landlords’ register. Leading many to question whether planning enforcement is morphing into an out-of-control profit-driven abuse of process. TheBigRetort...

Understanding POCA

The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 allows authorities to recover funds obtained through illegal activity. The Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) financially rewards authorities with a significant 37.5% of the value recovered under the POCA scheme. While POCA serves a valuable purpose in the fight against criminality, concerns arise when such a significant financial gain appears to be the driving force behind prosecutions, as evidenced by Lewisham Council's revealing job advertisement we unearthed for a new enforcement officer.

 

Red flags raised by enforcement job advertisement

The job advertisement for a "Private Sector Housing Fraud and Intelligence Officer" raises red flags. Remarkably, the ad explicitly states that the successful candidate should "...ensure prosecutions are successful and maximise income for the borough in respect of proceeds of crime." 

The focus on financial gain contradicts the Code for Crown Prosecutors, which demands prosecutions be based solely on public interest, not a council's income.

 The curious case of Kevin Bottomley: Unintended consequences?

 

In 2010, an Appeal Court ruling equated breaches of planning enforcement orders to criminal activities. This ruling may have had unintended consequences, as demonstrated in the case of Kevin Bottomley, a long-time shopkeeper and landlord running K J Building Supplies. Last year, Bottomley, based in Loampit Hill, Lewisham, faced closure due to a seemingly curious planning enforcement action. 

Despite years of openly trading sand and cement from the side of his shop, a practice previously tolerated by the council, Bottomley found himself targeted for planning enforcement, possibly - or now it may appear - for targeted income. Kevin is the landlord of the store's new owner.

Court case sets precedent

A Court of Appeal case, Wokingham Borough Council v. Scott and others[2019], established a strong precedent for ensuring ethical enforcement practices. The court ruled that a council's desire for financial gain through POCA should not influence its decision to prosecute. 

This case directly addresses Lewisham Council's questionable tactics in the Bottomley case. Notably, whilst the store eventually received planning permission, the prosecution still continues. Kevin Bottomley, though now retired,  is the "landlord" of the store's new owner..?

Call for investigation and ethical enforcement practices

A full, independent investigation into Lewisham Council's use of POCA and ARIS is necessary to ensure ethical enforcement practices. Mayor Brenda Dacres must address these concerns and prioritise the welfare of the people, as outlined in Lewisham's borough motto, "Salus Populi Suprema Lex." 

We urge Mayor Dacres to reject POCA profiteering and prioritise ethical enforcement practices within Lewisham Council in order to protect private landlords from POCA profiteering.

Continued Investigation

TheBigRetort is commited to investigating this story further and reporting any future developments.

THE BIG RETORT