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.”