The motion—titled “Abolish Landlords”—received overwhelming support from delegates and now stands as official party policy.
Under the plan, the Greens aim to dramatically scale back the private rental sector through sweeping reforms. These include strict rent controls, the elimination of the Right to Buy scheme, and the introduction of business rates for short-term lets such as Airbnb’s.
The Green Party’s housing overhaul would impose double taxation on empty homes and phase out Buy to Let mortgages entirely, aiming to discourage property speculation and long-term vacancies.
Councils would be given powers to step in and purchase homes under specific conditions—such as when landlords put them up for sale, when properties fall short of insulation standards, or if they’ve been left unoccupied for over six months.
The Green MP for Bristol Central Carla Denyer, said: “Despite its eye-catching title, it does not actually ‘abolish’ landlords.
“It does, however, address the housing crisis, empowers tenants and improves their wellbeing.
“It contains a range of policies which, over time, would reduce the proportion of the housing market that is privately rented, and increase the proportion of socially rented homes.”
She also said: “The motion also calls for the mass building of council homes, which was another manifesto commitment, and adds a proposal for a state-owned housing manufacturer to support these efforts and innovate on housing design and manufacture.”
The new plan was presented by party member Alexander Sallons, held his hands up and said that it would be ‘controversial in the party’ because ‘many members are still uncomfortable with the bold and decisive tone’.
The motion’s emphasis on dismantling private landlordism has exposed internal fault lines within the Green Party.
According to the parliamentary register of interests, Adrian Ramsay—one of the party’s four MPs—receives rental income from a property in Norfolk.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the home generates over £10,000 annually, raising questions about how the new policy might affect party members with landlord ties.
Mr Ramsay stated on social media: “I co-own a property with my ex-wife, which we used to live in.
“I don’t make a profit from it as I have kept the rent below market rate. I don’t intend to be a landlord long-term.”
Interested landlords should study the policy as it states: “The private rental sector has failed, it is a vehicle for wealth extraction, funnelling money from renters to the landlord class.
“This motion makes it clear Green Party policy is to seek the effective abolition of private landlordism and our support for building council housing.”
It concludes: “The Green Party believes the existence of private landlords adds no positive value to the economy or society, that the relationship between landlord and tenant is inherently and intrinsically extractive and exploitative.”