Exclusive documents obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service reveal that Hillingdon Council planned to write off rent arrears owed by a former Conservative councillor who was subletting a council-owned building to a popular local café in an apparent breach of lease terms.
Lease Breach and Unauthorised Subletting
The controversy centres around Cowley Meeting Hall, a council property leased to Alan Deville, who served as a Conservative councillor for the Yiewsley ward from May 2018 until May 2022. Mr Deville was awarded the lease for a second five-year term in 2023, despite the council's lease explicitly prohibiting subletting.
Mr Deville proceeded to sublet the building to Erhan Sahin, owner of the locally popular Theo's Café, for £18,000 per year. This arrangement generated approximately £12,000 more annually than the £5,655 Mr Deville was paying the council for the lease.
Council's Proposed Debt Write-Off
Documents obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service show that Hillingdon Council's Cabinet voted in favour of writing off Mr Deville's rent arrears on December 23, 2025. The council document justifying this decision stated that pursuing legal action to recover the debt would involve "costly and protracted legal proceedings" that would be "disproportionate to the rents that the council may be able to recover."
The document further argued that selling the property on the open market would be "more cost and time effective for the council," though it did not specify the amount owed in arrears or indicate over what period payments had been missed.
Café Owner's Substantial Investment
Mr Sahin, who has operated Theo's Café from the premises, claims to have spent £65,000 of his own money renovating the dilapidated council-owned property. He maintains that he has paid his £18,000 annual rent to Mr Deville without missing a single payment throughout their arrangement.
"The council messed up," Mr Sahin told reporters, describing his treatment as "shockingly" poor. He alleges that a senior council officer warned him against speaking publicly about his situation, making what he described as a "threatening" phone call suggesting the council could change the locks and retain his belongings inside the café.
Political Reactions and Allegations
Councillor Sital Punja, Deputy Leader of Hillingdon Labour, condemned the situation, stating: "This stinks of cronyism. A former Conservative councillor appears to have been allowed to avoid paying rent while allegedly profiting from unauthorised subletting of a council-owned property."
She continued: "The Conservative administration have been caught red handed in willing to turn a blind eye and even move towards selling the building. Meanwhile, a local resident used his own money to turn the site into a valued community asset, much loved by the local community."
Council's Response and Property Sale Saga
In December 2025, Hillingdon Council announced plans to sell Cowley Meeting Hall, prompting fears from Theo's Café that they would be evicted. The property was placed on the market on January 12, 2026, but withdrawn just one week later after the Local Democracy Reporting Service queried the leasing arrangements and rent arrears.
Councillor Jonathan Bianco, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Property, defended the council's approach: "The council does not comment on ongoing disputes or negotiations with its tenants, and it would be inappropriate to do so. What residents should be clear about is that the council is committed to acting fairly, lawfully, and in the best interests of taxpayers."
Contradiction with Council Debt Recovery Policy
The proposed write-off appears contradictory to Hillingdon Council's recent emphasis on debt recovery. In August 2025, the council outlined a "council-wide debt project" using courts to recover money owed for council tax and business rates.
Council documents from 2024 reveal that Hillingdon Council was owed £114 million in council tax, with over 16,000 taxpayers sent to magistrates' courts for liability orders. More than 5,000 cases were referred to bailiffs to collect council tax debt from residents.
Council's Official Statement
Hillingdon Council provided a statement regarding the situation: "The council cannot comment on the specific details of the lease, for the legal reasons outlined in previous responses and commercial confidentiality, or details within confidential council papers even when those reports have been inappropriately shared outside of the organisation."
The statement continued: "However, it is carefully reviewing the circumstances of this particular case and the lease arrangement, and is exploring all available avenues for resolution, including possible legal action."
The council declined to answer questions about how the lease was originally awarded to Mr Deville, whether it involved open tender, and why it planned to write off his debt. Mr Deville was contacted for comment but did not respond by the time of publication.
