Worcester Liberal Democrats have rejected calls from the Green Party to abolish private landlords, describing the proposal as “unrealistic and unhelpful” at a time when Worcester faces a growing housing shortage.
Cllr Karen Holmes said: “We need fairer regulation and better enforcement, not abolition. Many responsible private landlords in Worcester provide good-quality homes and play an essential role in meeting local housing need. Our focus should be on protecting tenants, raising standards, and tackling poor practice — not scrapping an entire sector that houses thousands of local people.”
The Lib Dems have also noted the inconsistency within the Greens’ position, given that one of their councillors is known to own property outside Worcestershire.
The facts in Worcester
• There are around 44,600 households in the city of Worcester.
• Approximately 21% (around 9,400 households) are privately rented.
• The average property value in the city is roughly £170,000, giving an estimated total value of privately rented homes of around £1.6 billion.
• Abolishing private landlords nationally would require buying out roughly five million privately rented homes — a cost of around £1 trillion to the taxpayer.
“That kind of policy simply isn’t credible,” added Cllr Holmes. “Instead of political slogans, we need workable policies that improve conditions for tenants and support good landlords to stay in the market.”
A practical plan — not slogans
Instead of abolition, Worcester Liberal Democrats are calling for:
1. Stronger local enforcement powers to act swiftly against unsafe or poorly maintained properties.
2. Guaranteed decent standards through improved licensing, inspections, and penalties for repeat offenders.
3. Security for tenants, including support for longer tenancies and clear routes to redress.
4. Support for energy-efficient upgrades, so tenants benefit from warmer homes and lower bills.
5. Increased investment in social and affordable housing to reduce pressure on the private rented sector.
Cllr Karen Holmes concluded “Worcester residents deserve serious, workable solutions. Let’s raise standards, empower tenants, and give the Council the tools to deal with rogues — while recognising the many responsible landlords who provide much-needed homes.”
