Green Party leader Zack Polanski has confirmed he will pay any outstanding council tax linked to his former London houseboat, according to a BBC News report published on 5 July 2026. Polanski told the BBC he had believed he was not liable for council tax while living on the houseboat, citing the complexity of tax arrangements for those living at moorings.
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What Polanski Has Said
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Polanski said working out the tax position for someone living on a boat was "complicated". He explained that at the marina where he had been living, most occupants were paying business rates rather than council tax, and that he had assumed the same applied to him.
"I said to the council and I'll say again, if I am found to owe any money, then of course I will pay that," Polanski told the BBC.
He added that he did not know exactly how much he might owe, and noted that the council had not yet reached a final decision on the matter. Polanski said the council itself had indicated it was possible he may not owe anything at all, depending on how the business rates question is resolved.
"Ultimately the council are saying that it might look like I don't owe anything at all, because of the business rates," he said. "If you were going to work it out in terms of Waltham Forest, it's probably about between £3,000 and £4,000, if I were to owe something."
The Potential Bill
According to the BBC's report, any unpaid council tax would be owed to the London Borough of Waltham Forest, where the houseboat was moored. Polanski put the potential figure at between £3,000 and £4,000, though he stressed that this was a hypothetical sum contingent on the council concluding he was liable.
Waltham Forest council has previously stated it was taking legal advice over what it described as "complex factors unique to moorings", according to the BBC. The council had not, as of the time of reporting, formally notified Polanski of any bill or liability.
Background to the Dispute
The issue first came to wider public attention in May 2026, when the Green Party acknowledged that Polanski may have failed to pay council tax on the houseboat, which had served as his home until recently. At that point, the party said Polanski had apologised and had "taken steps to pay any council tax he may be found to owe", according to the BBC.
Polanski sits on the Greater London Assembly, and a complaint was made to the Greater London Authority over the matter. However, the BBC reports that he was cleared by the GLA following that complaint last month.
Why Houseboat Council Tax Is Complicated
The case illustrates a broader complexity in how council tax rules apply to people living on the water. Unlike conventional residential properties, which are straightforwardly assessed for council tax by local authorities, houseboats and other floating homes can fall into a legal grey area between council tax and business rates, depending on the specific arrangements at a given marina or mooring.
In some cases, marina operators pay business rates that effectively cover occupants, meaning individual residents may not face separate council tax bills. In other cases, those living aboard vessels may be assessed individually for council tax. As Waltham Forest council's reference to "complex factors unique to moorings" suggests, even local authorities can find these situations difficult to resolve without specialist legal advice.
This ambiguity can leave people living on boats uncertain about their obligations, particularly when marina arrangements vary significantly from site to site. The question of whether business rates paid at a communal level discharge any individual council tax liability is not always straightforward, and the outcome can depend on how a specific mooring is classified and managed.
What Happens Next
According to the BBC's reporting, Polanski is awaiting a formal determination from Waltham Forest council on whether he owes anything. He has stated publicly and directly to the council that he will pay whatever sum is found to be due. The council has not yet communicated a final decision, and it remains possible that no bill will be issued at all if the business rates arrangements at the marina are found to cover his liability.
The story continues to draw attention given Polanski's role as leader of the Green Party in England and Wales, a position that brings heightened scrutiny of his personal conduct and finances.
Anyone with concerns about unpaid council tax, whether relating to a conventional home or a more unusual living situation, can access free, impartial debt advice from StepChange, MoneyHelper, or Citizens Advice.