A protest group says it wants to meet, discuss and engage with property professionals in its campaign to improve the private rented sector - although a planned protest against one agency is reported to have drawn only a small number of people.
The group, ACORN, claims to have over 1,000 supporters in Bristol alone and 80,000 worldwide, but could muster only a small number of backers plus a local Green councillor to attend its much-publicised protest outside the Holbrook Moran letting agency in the city.
The protestors held two hand-written placards. One, referring to agency owner Tobie Moran, stated: Hey Tobie - we've been told you rent houses full of mould. The other stated: End rip-off tenancy fees now.
The protest group's website claims the event was colourful, fun, noisy and vibrant.
Earlier this summer ACORN staged visits to agencies in Bristol to ask why fees are imposed on tenants, instead of purely on landlords. The group held a public meeting where agents were told 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.
Now ACORN says it is happy to talk with agents willing to take what it calls an ethical approach, while it claims it will take action to pressure and shame those who won't.
However, it makes no mention of what that action will be, nor does its website publicise any future event.
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Comments
I assume the mould placard holder is looking forward to their court appearance for libel
Meanwhile a previous phot on this site showed an ACORN gorund level office and I asked then is ACORN an agency
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see what the big fuss is about agents fees. But to have (or claim to have) 80,000 supporters worldwide rallying against agents fees seems silly.
There are so many other real problems in this country and in the world that need real protests, and agents fees is not one of them! Estate and letting agents provide a service, and for that they need compensation. It's not as though they are demanding your first born child as payment, its just a simple fee.
These Acorn protesters need to get over themselves, and find better use of their protesting time!
Well I am glad that "protest" seemed to pan out as flat as a witches t*t then !
Quote: "[i]to ask why fees are imposed on tenants, instead of purely on landlords[/i]". Do we in the industry not charge a commission rate on rent collected to our Landlords Yes - therefore Landlords pay for our services.
My agency also charges an establishment fee to the Landlord once the property lets to cover the huge costs of marketing (we all know that RM and Zoopla charge the earth!).
This BS about Tenant fees will fizzle out pretty soon I hope because it is becoming bloody tiresome. Support for Acorn's "protest" kind of shows this. Fingers crossed!