The leader of the UK Green Party, Zack Polanski, is under scrutiny after the party admitted he had been living on a houseboat in London until recently and may have failed to pay council tax linked to the property.
In a statement to the BBC, the Green Party said Polanski has “taken steps to pay any council tax he may be found to owe,” adding that he “apologises sincerely for the unintentional mistake.” The admission comes after growing questions over whether the houseboat, moored at a marina in east London, had been his primary residence.
Under UK rules, boats can be subject to council tax when they are used as a person’s sole or main home. Tax lawyer Dan Neidle, who has previously investigated political tax issues, said evidence suggests Polanski may fall within that category. Writing on his Tax Policy Associates website, Neidle said: “If, as seems likely, that was his main residence, then Mr Polanski and his partner should have paid council tax there.”
The controversy intensified after The Times reported that Polanski may not have paid council tax on the houseboat for up to three years. The newspaper cited an advertisement for the boat in which his partner described it as “our amazing home” for the past three years and said they were “moving house.”
The Green Party has said Polanski’s situation is more complex, stating that he also rented a room elsewhere in London where council tax was included in his rent. According to the party, he only stayed on the houseboat “occasionally.” However, The Times reported that local sources, including a nearby launderette, suggested the couple frequently used the boat as their home between 2023 and 2025.
The houseboat is located in a marina within the Waltham Forest council area, where Polanski has also been registered to vote. The issue has raised further questions about his official residence status and tax obligations during that period.
In its full response, the Green Party said Polanski’s living arrangements were affected by “unique practical circumstances and considerations” linked to life on a houseboat. It added that, for security reasons, it would not publicly disclose further details about his address.
Polanski has now come under political pressure as opponents question his transparency over personal finances and residency status. While no formal investigation has been announced, the case adds to ongoing scrutiny of politicians’ tax compliance and declarations in the UK.
For now, the Green Party leader has not been accused of deliberate wrongdoing, but the issue is likely to remain politically sensitive as questions over his primary residence and potential unpaid council tax continue to circulate.
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