Motion calls for MPs to be banned as landlords
A left-wing MP has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for MPs to be barred from being landlords while in office.
Independent MP Zarah Sultana, who introduced the motion, claimed: “MPs should be focused on serving their constituents without the influence of financial interest.”
The news comes after Labour was found to have the highest number of landlord MPs. Data from The i, based on the register of members’ interests, shows that 38 Labour MPs earn more than £10,000 a year in rental income.
MPs should be focused on their constituents
EDMs are mainly symbolic and rarely debated in Parliament. The current motion has only three signatures, including fellow independent MP Neil Duncan-Jordan and Jim Shannon, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.
The group is calling on the government to introduce legislation banning MPs from being landlords.
The motion says: “That this House notes with concern the ongoing housing crisis and the shortage of affordable homes. We believe that hon. Members should be wholly focused on serving their constituents without the influence of financial interests in the rental housing market; and therefore call on the government to bring forward legislation to prohibit hon. Members from owning and letting out residential properties for private profit during their time in office.”
Fuelling an unhelpful narrative that providing homes to rent is a bad thing
Previously, tenant groups have also called for MPs to be banned as landlords, claiming it’s a conflict of interest.
Jae Vail, spokesperson for the London Renters Union, told the i newspaper: “Until parliament is free of landlord MPs, renters will not trust the government to deliver the bold action we need. It’s time for the government to ban landlords from parliament and start working for ordinary people, investing in council housing and capping rents.”
However, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), defended landlord MPs.
A spokesperson for the NRLA told the i: “Calls for MPs to be totally banned from being landlords are fuelling an unhelpful narrative that providing homes to rent is a bad thing when demand is outstripping supply.
“Being a landlord is not a bad thing. For MPs, it is vital that when deciding whether to rent out property, they have the time to fully meet the responsibilities of being a landlord.”
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The Room Filled With 200 Bottles of Urine
Member Since December 2023 - Comments: 1573
7:44 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
So, when a landlord becomes an MP, these clowns want the tenants evicted?
That’s nice.
Member Since August 2022 - Comments: 1
9:46 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
“The news comes after Labour was found to have the highest number of landlord MPs”
NOT SUPPRISING WHEN THERE ARE 399 Labour MPs and only 120 Conservative . So 9.5% Labour have BTL wonder what the Conservative % is
Member Since August 2023 - Comments: 16
9:48 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
I rather suspect non-landlord party members are fed up of the dire optics landlord MPs create when going about legitimate landlord business.
Having landlord MPs makes landlord bashing so much more difficult.
Member Since May 2022 - Comments: 89
10:02 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
She said:
“MPs should be focused on serving their constituents without the influence of financial interest.”
Financial interest?
This should be fun……what else will they have to surrender?
Members of the UK Parliament are required to declare outside financial interests in a public Register of Members’ Financial Interests. These declarations cover income, gifts, donations, and shareholdings that could reasonably influence their parliamentary actions, which are then overseen by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. While MPs can hold outside jobs and professions, these cannot involve paid lobbying, and their interests must be registered within 28 days of them arising.
What Must Be Declared?
MPs must declare a wide range of financial interests, including:
Remunerated work:
Any paid employment or consultancies outside their parliamentary duties.
Gifts and donations:
Any gifts, hospitality, or donations they receive, if they exceed a certain value or are relevant.
Shareholdings:
Any significant shareholdings they hold.
Other benefits:
Any other financial or non-financial benefits that could influence their actions as an MP.
The Register of Members’ Financial Interests
Public Access:
The Register of Members’ Financial Interests is publicly available on the UK Parliament website.
Who Maintains It:
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards maintains the register.
Registration Period:
MPs have 28 days to register a new interest, and registered entries remain on the register for 12 months after they expire.
Rules and Acceptable Interests
No Lobbying:
MPs are explicitly forbidden from being paid lobbyists.
Professional Roles:
Acceptable outside interests include professions such as being a lawyer, accountant, or specialist in a particular field, as long as the role isn’t a reward for being an MP.
Transparency:
The purpose of these rules and the register is to provide transparency and allow the public to judge the integrity of their MPs.
Where to Find the Information
To see the specific financial interests of an individual MP, you can find the Register of Members’ Financial Interests on the UK Parliament website.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 364
10:05 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
So does she think MPs should have no other business interest, or is this just another left wing bias towards landlords.
Member Since February 2025 - Comments: 18
10:33 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Oh yes, always best to have someone with no practical experience setting the rules.
We ought not allow anyone with any medical knowledge be secretary of state for health, or anyone who’s ever served in the forces anywhere near defence.
Wombats the lot of them if they think this is a good idea.
Member Since February 2020 - Comments: 360
11:00 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
So there isn’t really a qualification for being an MP other than being popular, a certain age and under certain residency and nationality criteria.
If we are going to ban groups like landlords and have disenfranchisement, then how about an IQ test for prospective MPs and an understanding of Austrian economics.
I think there wouldn’t be many of these leeches in predatory government any more then.
Member Since November 2022 - Comments: 66
11:33 AM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Can’t wait for Reform to get in.
Member Since March 2018 - Comments: 182
12:27 PM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
So if no MPs were landlords would there be new laws on landlords even worse than those about to be introduced? Madness.
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 1431 - Articles: 1
1:30 PM, 10th September 2025, About 7 months ago
Why just the PRS.
MPs should hold no Board positions paid or otherwise, should not carry on any other occupation ie medical/legal/journalism/charity or going off on jollies not concerned with their roll as constituency servants etc etc.
IF they are to serve, note the word serve, their constituents then they should be serving 100% of the time.