Landlords excuse: building has been lived in extensively, and needs a multimillion pound refurbishment. Building was completely refurbished in 2017.
150 people served with section 21 eviction notices.
Update: There’s now a petition you can sign to counter this predatory landlord behaviour: https://chng.it/P2j7yj2xM4
Sounds like money laundering, or some sort of fraud. Get your buddy to do the “remodel”, overpay him, he gives you a kickback. So many crooked ways this could go.