Mothin Ali, the co-deputy leader of the Green Party in England and Wales and a Leeds city councillor, owns two private rental properties despite his party’s policy to abolish private landlordism. Ali’s ownership of these buy-to-let homes appears at odds with the Greens’ national stance on the private rental sector.
The Green Party adopted a policy titled “Abolish landlords” at their conference last October, committing to the effective elimination of private landlordism. The policy emphasizes expanding council housing and placing privately rented housing under public control. The party has also advocated for rent controls and the end of buy-to-let mortgages. Zack Polanski, the party leader, criticized the private rental market earlier this year, describing tenants as being exploited as “cash cows” due to limited regulation.
Ali, 44, purchased two three-bedroom buy-to-let properties in the Gipton area of Leeds, where he serves as a councillor. According to company records, he acquired a former council home in June 2022 for £165,000 and a second property in March 2025 for £157,000. Both purchases were made through his private limited company, MA Holdings, incorporated in December 2021, where Ali is the sole director. The properties reportedly still have buy-to-let mortgages and are believed to be tenanted.
Structuring property ownership through a limited company offers tax benefits, including corporation tax rates between 19% and 25%, which are generally lower than personal income tax rates on rental income. Financial statements show MA Holdings had £22,341 in bank reserves in 2024, up £15,409 from 2023. Ali has said the company's funds are not solely rental profits, noting that he has personally invested money into the business. He declined to disclose the rental amounts charged, though market rates in the area typically range between £1,000 and £1,300 monthly for similar properties.
A Green Party spokesperson stated that detailed personal information about Ali’s landlord role was shared confidentially, emphasizing that he acted to support vulnerable family members for whom he has caring responsibilities. The party requested the information remain private to protect Ali’s family.
Ali has faced controversy in recent months. Following his election as a Leeds councillor in May 2024, he was criticized for shouting “Allahu akbar” during the event and later apologized for any offense caused. Additionally, social media posts attributed to him emerged that appeared to express support for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which resulted in more than 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 hostages. Ali has not publicly addressed these specific allegations.
In addition to his councillor role—which carries an annual allowance of approximately £18,000—Ali operates an accountancy firm and runs a sustainable gardening subscription service called My Family Garden, hosting exclusive content on his YouTube channel.