Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, has been accused of “squatting” in a houseboat after it emerged he flouted marina rules by living there with his partner for three years. The narrowboat was moored at Green Valley Marina in Springfield, which does not allow permanent residency. Under the marina’s rules, boat owners can stay overnight for up to seven consecutive nights per month only if they are working on their boats.
Council Tax Admission and Political Fallout
Mr Polanski admitted he failed to pay council tax on the houseboat, which was his home until recently. There is no suggestion he deliberately breached the rules. However, the revelations have sparked criticism from political opponents. MP Phil Brickell said: “This seems to be one rule for you, another for me. Zack Polanski should come clean and – if necessary – apologise.”
Kevin Hollinrake MP, chairman of the Conservative Party, added: “Polanski, the apparent squatter, should know that nobody is above the rules that everyone else is expected to follow.”
Marina Rules and Legal Defence
A spokeswoman for Lee Valley Park, which operates the marina, said all boat owners must provide proof of their home address before entering into a non-residential mooring agreement. Mr Polanski’s lawyers said he provided the address of a property he was living in just before moving to the marina. A lawyer for Mr Polanski stated: “Before moving to the boat in August 2022, our client lived as a property guardian. This was one of the few affordable housing options available to him in London during a period marked by economic uncertainty, austerity measures and significant cost-of-living pressures.”
The lawyer added: “The address cited on the mooring agreement is that of the property which our client had been a property guardian immediately prior to moving to the boat. It is well recognised that individuals often reside on boats moored under such agreements.”
No Prior Challenges and GLA Clearance
Mr Polanski’s lawyers said he was never “challenged or reprimanded” by the marina operators, the local authority, or any other party regarding his residence on the boat. The spokeswoman for Lee Valley Park confirmed: “If berth holders stay beyond the allowable seven consecutive days for carrying out improvements, repairs and maintenance, the mooring agreement sets out a clear process for breach of agreement or rules, which can result in termination of the agreement. We do not discuss details on individual berth holders.”
Last month, the Greater London Authority (GLA) cleared Mr Polanski following a complaint over his failure to pay council tax on the houseboat in Hackney. The issue arose after reports that the politician was registered to vote at a marina address in east London but was not paying council tax. Mr Polanski’s lawyers said: “Our client's position is clear and has been consistently maintained throughout. It is set out comprehensively in his witness statement to the GLA dated 10 June 2026, in which he states: ‘I occupied the narrowboat pursuant to a mooring agreement with the Authority [Lee Valley Regional Park Authority]. The agreement provided for leisure mooring rather than permanent residential occupation, although there has been much discussion online that it is often commonplace at marinas for people to live on boats moored under such agreements.’”
His lawyers added: “He genuinely believed that his residence on the boat was legitimate.”
