A former most senior Scotland Yard officer has started a criminal investigation into a multi-billionaire Mayfair landlord over complaints made by the residents of a posh Mayfair block of flats, on main Park Lane with Shahrukh Khan and the Sharif family as neighbours.
The former Scotland Yard commander, Tariq Ghaffur CBE, has confirmed he is conducting a private criminal investigation into Asif Aziz, whose company is the landlord of Fountain House - a multi-million-pound set of around 80 apartments near the Dorchester Hotel.
The family of former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif lives a stone's throw from Fountain House and Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan owns a penthouse in a nearby block. Several Indians and Pakistanis own assets in the same area.
Asif Aziz - who calls himself Mr Mayfair and Mr West End - is a multi-billionaire landlord who runs an organization called Aziz Foundation and owns hundreds of high-net worth properties in London. His company that manages Fountain House is called Parkgate Aspen.
Ghaffur said: “We are conducting a criminal investigation into Fountain House over several matters concerning Asif Aziz and his management company and cohorts. The investigation has arisen due to many complaints from leaseholders and information I have subsequently received and reviewed. In our opinion, due to the serious concerns regarding matters that have occurred, it merits a criminal investigation. We have started to collect evidence to prove criminal offenses, and thereafter we shall report our findings to the relevant authorities.”
Asif Aziz’s company got into the current dispute with the residents - who are all millionaires - over the way they have been made to pay service charges as well as a whole range of other complaints. Residents have shown concern at the way the company has failed to provide them with reasonable services. Asif Aziz’s company insiders said that the residents have also gone to a local civil court against them.
Aziz has been criticised by the political magazine, Private Eye, for using companies registered in the Isle of Man to buy properties in London, especially pubs, and then close them down to replace them with more lucrative housing developments. In 2017, Aziz argued in court that his wife of 14 years was not entitled to a share in his fortune, then estimated at £1.1bn, because they had "not legally married". The couple, who had four children, agreed to a settlement.
In 2020, The Times asked if Aziz was "the meanest landlord in Britain", over the way he had treated tenants during the pandemic.
In 2022, he was criticised by Novara Media for continuing to buy community spaces like bars and nurseries and redeveloping them into luxury apartments. This prompted a legal threat from Aziz's lawyers over a year later. They demanded the removal of the article, claiming defamation unless it was taken down.
In late 2024, Aziz's property company, Criterion Capital, came under discussion in early 2025 after the Prince Charles Cinema stated that their landlord, Zedwell LSQ Ltd (owned by Criterion Capital), were demanding both a significant raise in rent and a six-month break clause in the new lease. A petition, entitled 'Save The Prince Charles Cinema' was set up by the cinema in response.
The petition gathered 115,000 signatures in its first two days.
In 2025, reports emerged highlighting widespread maintenance issues and vermin infestations in properties managed under Asif Aziz's "Dstrkt" housing brand, despite rapidly rising rents. Aziz also reportedly paid £150,000 to settle allegations that he had illegally operated an unlicensed Forrest Gump-themed shrimp restaurant at Piccadilly Circus.
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