Rehashed research again slams MPs who are landlords

A new version of research first released in May 2023 once again lashes some MPs for being landlords.

38 Degrees - an online which hosts petitions - claims that 72 Conservative MPs – 20% of the party – declared rental income over £10,000 from English residential properties in the 12 months to April 15.

Landlords in the cabinet include Chancellor Jeremy Hunt – who owns seven rented apartments in Southampton – as well as Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk.

The Labour Party had 18 English landlord MPs and the Liberal Democrats two. In Labour’s shadow cabinet high profile members Emily Thornberry, David Lammy and Lucy Powell have declared English rental income.

In total, 173 MPs had declared a property portfolio worth £100,000 or more in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as at April 15, 2024. This total includes commercial properties, as well as properties outside England which, if rented, would not fall under the Renters Reform Bill. 

MPs do not have to declare properties used wholly for their own residential use.

38 Degrees claims that the true figure of MPs who are also landlords may be higher, as MPs only have to declare rental income of more than £10,000 per year. A further 30 MPs owned declarable residential property worth more than £100,000 in England but with no declarable rental income – it is possible that some of these properties may bring in rent of less than £10,000 per year. 

A spokesperson for the platform says: “Our rental system is broken and – having come into this parliament with a manifesto promise to fix it – the Government is increasingly running out of time. With an election coming up, England’s millions of tenants will be watching, and they’ll see any watering down of the Renters Reform Bill as the betrayal, and broken promise, that it is.

“Whilst there’s nothing inherently wrong with MPs making money through the rental system, those who do must show they’re putting the interests of millions of vulnerable tenants over financial gain for landlords.

“All MPs – but especially those whose tenants, as well as constituents, are counting on them to reform our broken system – need to make sure this overdue bill finally fulfils the promises made to millions of renters.”

The research was conducted using the Register of Members Interests for all MPs who listed an interest in “land and property portfolio” – category 6 of the House of Commons registration requirements. Entries were analysed based on location, type and number of properties declared. 

Where property was explicitly listed as farming or business premises (including shops, dental practices, etc.) it was excluded from calculations of the number of residential rental properties. Properties explicitly described as solely holiday rentals were also excluded. 

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