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ACORN protest against ‘uninhabitable’ renting conditions provided by one Bristol letting agent
Fake cockroaches were posted through to letterbox of a letting agents as part of a socially distanced demonstration.
ACORN, a union for communities, organised the protest that took place during the early afternoon of Tuesday, March 30.
The group led the protest, which passed through Mina Park on its way to Let’s Rent on Mina Road, in solidarity with two tenants of the agency.
is needed now More than ever
Sam and Jam had to rent a property that, according to ACORN, is “unfit for human habitation”.
The pair were already renting a property with two others from Let’s Rent in St Werburgh’s when the first lockdown started.
But when their two housemates had to go back home, Sam and Jams were left unable to pay the rent and had to move to the new property, which was reportedly “infested with cockroaches and stank of urine”.
Sam tries to talk to staff at Let’s Rent. Photo: Stephen Noreiko
“We did our best to clean up,” said Jams, who works at a cooperative. “We wanted to meet the agent to sort things out.”
However, the tenants say that Adil Ayub, manager of Let’s Rent, was unwilling to meet the to discuss the problem. The pair turned to ACORN for support.
Sam and Jams are asking for their unfair rent debt to be wiped and their deposits returned but Adil still hasn’t met them.
ACORN requested several meetings to resolve the issues but were ignored. Various actions were taken to push for a discussion of the tenants’ demands.
“They seem to think it’s fine to live with cockroaches in your house, so we’re bringing them some,” said Sam, who works as a postal worker, and Jams.
Sam posts the fake cockroaches through the letterbox. Photo: Stephen Noreiko
The socially distanced peaceful demonstration saw people march with banners and flags and Sam posting fake cockroaches through the letterbox of Let’s Rent.
Sam tried again to request a meeting with their landlord at the protest, but the agents didn’t let him into the building, with Sam instead talking through the door to members of staff.
Adil still hasn’t met with Sam and Jams, despite the demonstration. ACORN says it will continue to support tenants such as them who have had to live in unfit housing.
Let’s Rent have no provided a response to Bristol24/7’s ask for a comment.
Main photo: Stephen Noreiko
Read more: ACORN – A community union in action
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