The deputy leader of the Green Party, Mothin Ali, is linked to two buy-to-let properties, despite his party’s opposition to private landlords. Ali is the sole director of a company, which he set up and controls, that owns two rental properties in Leeds, bought in June 2022 and March 2025 – although he does not appear to profit from either of them. The property purchases happened before the Greens adopted a policy committing to phasing out ownership of rental properties by private landlords in October 2025. The Green Party told the BBC that, at the time Ali had set up the company, and since, he “has acted solely in the interests of vulnerable close family members for whom he has caring responsibilities”.
Ali’s connection to the rental properties via real estate company MA Holdings, which purchased them with buy-to-let mortgages, was first reported by the Times newspaper. Records held by Companies House show that Ali is the sole director of MA Holdings, incorporated in December 2021, and he is listed in the records as the sole person with significant control, owning more than 75% of the shares. The company’s business includes “buying and selling of own real estate”, “letting and operating of own or leased real estate” and “management of real estate on a fee or contract basis”. The BBC has spoken to the previous owner and resident of the second property, who confirmed that Ali’s company had purchased the property and believed it was bought with the intention to be let out.
Asked why MA Holdings owns the rental properties, a Green Party spokesperson said: “We have provided deeply personal information to the BBC in confidence which shows that Councillor Ali has acted solely in the interests of vulnerable close family members for whom he has caring responsibilities. “At Councillor Ali’s request, we are not going to make this information public to protect his family.” The BBC is not publicising the personal information shared with it, at the request of the Greens, as it relates to private family matters. In October last year, delegates to the Green Party’s annual conference, passed a motion titled “Abolish landlords”, external, headed “the private rental sector has failed, it is a vehicle for wealth extraction, funnelling money from renters to the landlord class”. The motion states: “The effective abolition of private landlordism and the private rented sector, coupled with the mass expansion of council housing, is the only way to end the housing crisis.” This is now official policy for the Green Party of England and Wales, with a plan to increase regulation and taxes on private rentals to make it difficult for landlords to make a profit, while boosting housebuilding by councils.
The policy would use existing Green policies such as imposing rent controls, ending buy-to-let mortgages and giving councils the right to buy a rental property when it is sold at a discounted price. Asked whether Ali had sought to take any steps since the policy had been adopted to change anything with regard to the rental properties, a Green Party spokesperson told the BBC he fully supported the policy. “The policy does not literally seek to abolish landlords, but rather to put in more regulations and taxes on private rentals through measures such as rent controls and expanded social housing,” they said. “All of which Mothin Ali supports.” When the policy was introduced, Green Party MP Carla Denyer told the BBC “while the motion to conference had an eye-catching name, it does not actually ‘abolish’ landlords”.
“It does, however, address the housing crisis, empowers tenants and improves their wellbeing,” she added. “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.” Green Party backs plan to see end of private letting Tax wealthiest to end rip-off Britain, says Green leader Can Polanski’s Greens turn momentum into power?
