Letting agents in Bristol are gearing themselves for an onslaught from anti-fees protestors on Saturday in the next part of a campaign over so-called rip-off fees and easy evictions.
Much of the focus will be on the Holbrook Moran agency, which is the main target of a protest rally organised by a group called ACORN.
ACORN has already staged visits to agencies in Bristol to ask why fees are imposed on tenants, instead of purely on landlords. Last month the group held a public meeting where agents were expected to explain themselves according to the group's advance publicity.
Two agencies - Piper Property and Besley Hill - did attend. Peter Stephenson from Piper Property said he did not charge tenancy fees while Gareth Hunt from Besley Hill said he would give the group more information on his firm's fee policy in the near future.
The campaign has also gained political support from a Labour city councillor, Bristol East's Labour MP Kerry McCarthy and the Labour parliamentary candidate for Bristol West Thangam Debonnaire.
Other letting agents in the city - who have contacted LAT on the understanding that they would not be quoted directly - say there is a mood of intimidation from the protestors.
ACORN's website, seeking to mobilise support for its protest, cites a case study who claims to have been a tenant of Holbrook Moran for 14 years. The agency was not available for comment when contacted yesterday by LAT.
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Comments
so-called rip-off fees and [b]easy evictions[/b]
Section 21 allows the OWNER of the property to serve a notice on the Tenant(s) without specifying a reason as we all know. WHY is this, all of a sudden, becoming headline news Only recently on Sky there was an article about a chap being evicted in London. It was presented as "scandalous".
Investors should have the right to evict their Tenant(s) if they want to sell the property on. Most I deal with actually actively look for another investor to take the property so the Tenant(s) can stay put.
Residential Landlords NEED he right to take their property back. I have dealt with hundreds over the years who are moving abroad, for example, on a work placement for a set period of time. Of course, when offering the property to our Tenant(s) we always specify that (for example) the property will only be available for X months/years - no problem.
LEAVE section 21 alone. Most people jumping on the bandwagon moaning about "Tenants being evicted for no reason" don't understand that this is the law. It has worked perfectly for years and is only coming to the fore because this and previous governments have failed miserably in providing adequate social housing.
What's the bet it all passes by peacefully It's all a bit petty and silly, the constant back and forth sniping between the anti-fee protestors and the letting agents in Bristol. I can understand the argument from both sides, but it seems we hear about this story at least once a week on LAT. It's getting tiresome.
Of course the police will be on hand to arrest anyone who is causing a breach of the peace etc.
Your graphic shows an Acorn lettings office.
Is this blue on blue and friendly (or unfriendly) fire coordinated by another agent!!!