The Green Party has voted to “seek the effective abolition of private landlordism” at its annual conference in Bournemouth, marking one of the most dramatic policy shifts in its history and setting the stage for a fierce national debate on housing.
The motion, bluntly titled Abolish Landlords, was overwhelmingly endorsed by delegates and now forms official party policy. It commits the Greens to an overhaul of the private rented sector through sweeping regulation, heavy taxation, and a large-scale expansion of public housing.
A War on Private Renting
The policy package includes rent controls, the abolition of Right to Buy, and the phasing out of Buy-to-Let mortgages. Empty properties would be hit with double council tax, and Airbnbs and other short-term lets would face business rates. Councils would gain new powers to purchase homes when landlords sell, when properties fail to meet insulation standards, or when they stand vacant for more than six months.
The motion argues that “the private rental sector has failed” and brands it “a vehicle for wealth extraction, funnelling money from renters to the landlord class.” It declares that private landlords “add no positive value to the economy or society” and that the relationship between landlord and tenant is “inherently extractive and exploitative.”
“Not Literally Abolishing Landlords”
Carla Denyer, the Green MP for Bristol Central, sought to temper the interpretation of the motion’s title. “Despite its eye-catching name, it does not literally abolish landlords,” she said. “But it does address the housing crisis, empower tenants, and improve their wellbeing. It reduces the size of the private rented sector and increases the number of socially rented homes.”
Denyer said the policy includes a commitment to “mass council housebuilding” — a core Green manifesto pledge — alongside the creation of a state-owned housing manufacturer to help councils design and build new homes at scale.
Internal Tensions
The motion was introduced by party activist Alexander Sallons, who admitted it would be “controversial” because “many members are still uncomfortable with the bold and decisive tone.”
That discomfort was underlined by the revelation that one of the party’s own MPs, Adrian Ramsay, is a landlord. According to his parliamentary register of interests, Ramsay rents out a property in Norfolk worth over £10,000 a year in rental income. He defended his position by saying he “does not make a profit” and has “kept the rent below market rate,” adding that he does not intend to remain a landlord long-term.
A New Direction Under Polanski
The Bournemouth conference — the first since Zack Polanski became Green Party leader — was dominated by calls for stronger action on housing, climate, and wealth inequality. Polanski has described the Greens as “the real progressive opposition” and signalled that he intends to push Labour from the left.
The new housing motion underlines that ambition. By challenging the very existence of private landlordism, the party has moved far beyond traditional tenant-rights reform and into ideological territory rarely touched by mainstream British politics.
Critics Warn of Fallout
Landlords and property groups reacted furiously to the proposal, warning it would devastate the rental market, drive out investment, and leave tenants with fewer choices. Economists have questioned how councils could afford large-scale property purchases and whether abolishing Buy-to-Let mortgages could further shrink housing supply.
Even some Greens privately worry the policy risks alienating middle-class homeowners who might otherwise support the party. But its supporters argue the UK’s housing model is broken — and that only radical reform can end what they describe as “decades of profiteering at the expense of renters.”
A Defining Moment
The vote marks a defining moment for the Green Party — one that could cement its identity as the most left-wing national party in Britain. Whether “abolishing landlords” becomes practical policy or remains political theatre, the motion has already succeeded in one thing: reigniting the national argument over who should own Britain’s homes.