The Green Party has made headlines after approving a highly controversial policy at its annual conference — a motion to completely abolish private landlords in the United Kingdom. The proposal, seen as one of the most radical housing policies in recent years, has sparked fierce debate across the political spectrum.
This marks a significant moment for the party under the leadership of Zack Polanski, who has described himself as an “eco-populist.” It was Polanski’s first conference as leader, and the event was filled with discussions around climate justice, social reform, and housing equality. However, it was the motion to “seek the effective abolition of private landlordism” that dominated attention and secured a strong majority among party activists.
The call to abolish landlords did not stand alone. It was part of a larger package of measures designed to reshape the UK’s housing system and tackle what the party describes as “deep-rooted inequality” in the rental market. These proposed reforms aim to shift control of housing away from private ownership and towards public and community-based management.
Among the proposed measures were the introduction of nationwide rent controls, designed to stabilise rental costs and prevent excessive increases. The policy package also includes new taxes targeting Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms, aiming to discourage property owners from removing homes from the long-term rental market in favour of more profitable holiday lets.
In addition, the motion suggests implementing double taxation on empty properties. This measure, according to its supporters, is intended to deter property speculation and ensure that homes are used rather than left vacant for investment purposes. The Green Party argues that this would help free up much-needed housing supply and ease pressure on renters.
A key element of the proposal involves banning Buy-to-Let mortgages altogether. This would mark a major change in the property landscape, as Buy-to-Let financing currently plays a significant role in the private rental sector. By removing it, the party hopes to discourage investment-driven ownership and prioritise homes for living rather than profit-making.
Another striking aspect of the policy is the call to grant local councils first refusal when landlords decide to sell their properties. This right would particularly apply in cases where a property fails to meet insulation or energy-efficiency standards or has been left unoccupied for more than six months. The aim is to give local authorities more control over housing supply and to promote greener, more sustainable homes.
The Green Party’s vision also includes a large-scale council house building initiative. Unlike traditional housing development, this programme would be led by a state-owned construction company rather than private developers. The goal, according to supporters, is to build affordable homes that prioritise long-term social benefit rather than private profit.
In addition, the Right to Buy scheme — which allows council tenants to purchase their homes at a discount — would be scrapped entirely under this plan. The party argues that the policy, introduced in the 1980s, has contributed to the depletion of affordable housing stock and made it harder for councils to provide homes for those in need.
The motion also proposes the creation of private residential tenancy boards. These local bodies would act as mediators, helping to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants before they reach tribunal level. The intention is to make the process of conflict resolution quicker, fairer, and less burdensome on both sides.
Compared to the housing pledges made in the Green Party’s 2024 general election manifesto, this new motion represents a far more radical approach. While previous policies focused on stronger tenant rights and rent controls, this latest move goes much further by directly challenging the existence of private landlords as a whole.
Steve Jackson, co-chair of the left-wing group Greens Organise and a co-proposer of the motion, spoke in support of the new policy. He explained that members of his group had “voted overwhelmingly” to back the proposal, citing long-standing frustrations with the state of the UK’s private rental sector.
According to Jackson, “The private rental sector in this country is broken beyond repair.” He argued that the system allows property owners to profit from essential housing needs while many tenants face insecurity, unaffordability, and poor living standards. The motion, he said, is about rebalancing that dynamic.
Reactions to the policy have been mixed. Supporters within the Green Party and housing activist circles have praised the proposal as bold, necessary, and reflective of the urgency of the housing crisis. Critics, however, have described it as impractical and potentially damaging, warning that it could drive landlords out of the market and reduce the number of available rental properties.
Despite the criticism, Green Party representatives have defended the motion as a vital step towards creating a fairer, more sustainable housing system. They argue that the private rental model has failed millions of people and that structural change is the only path forward.
Whether or not the proposal gains broader political traction remains to be seen, but it signals a clear shift in the Green Party’s priorities. The focus is now firmly on housing justice — positioning homes as a right, not a commodity, and ensuring that the UK’s housing system serves people and communities above profit.
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