Just months after the government’s homelessness minister resigned after hiking the rent after a tenant eviction, a prominent Labour party donor has come under fire after evicting a family from his rental property before significantly increasing the rent for new tenants.
Lord Waheed Alli, estimated to be worth £200 million, removed a family of five from his north London townhouse using a “no-fault” eviction notice. The family had been paying £4,800 monthly rent for their five-bedroom home over four years.
Within days of receiving their eviction notice in June, the property appeared back on the rental market at £6,000 per month – a substantial 25% increase. Despite the existing tenants offering to pay this higher amount to remain in their home, their request was declined. The property was ultimately rented to new tenants for £5,700 monthly.
Family’s plea rejected
The evicted father explained their desperate situation to local media, highlighting how their children were settled in nearby schools. The family requested even a single additional month to avoid disrupting their children’s education and exams, but this too was refused.
“The hypocrisy just feels like too much,” the father said, expressing disappointment as a Labour voter seeing such treatment from a major party donor.
Political connections
Lord Alli has donated over £500,000 to Labour since 2020, making him one of the party’s largest financial supporters. He gained significant media attention last year for providing expensive gifts to senior Labour figures, including Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and then Deputy Leader, Angela Rayner. These gifts included clothing, spectacles, and temporary use of Alli’s £18 million penthouse apartment.
The broader housing scene
No-fault evictions are a leading cause of homelessness in Britain. These legal notices allow landlords to remove tenants with just two months’ notice without providing any justification. Housing charity, Shelter, identifies this practice as a major contributor to housing instability.
Government statistics reveal that 11,400 households faced forced removal by bailiffs due to no-fault evictions between July 2024 and June 2025.
Government response
The present government promised to “immediately abolish no fault evictions” before taking power, introducing the Renters’ Rights Bill. However, an implementation date is yet to be announced. The proposed legislation would also prevent landlords from re-listing properties at higher rents for six months after evicting tenants.
Official statement
A spokesperson for Lord Alli defended his actions, stating he is “not a commercial landlord” and doesn’t manage the property directly. They claimed the eviction wasn’t financially motivated, noting the new tenant pays less than the amount the previous family offered.
It seems Labour’s housing policies and some of its supporters in the private rental market remain conflicted.