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Thousands of people have signed a petition in Bristol after a local estate and letting agency sent a letter to prospective landlords urging them to take advantage of the demand for rental housing in the city by putting the rents up.
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Letting Agency Marketing Letter to Landlords
“With rents increasing every week in Bristol, it is highly likely your property is due a rent increase. The demand from prospective tenants is far exceeding the number of properties available and we have never seen such a buoyant rental market.”
The letter was to the point and even included a section with advice to landlords on how to get more rent. The marketing campaign backfired in a spectacular fashion.
Community Outrage at Exploitative Letting Agent
When word of the letter got out into the local community, ten thousand people came forward to sign a petition accusing the agent of exploiting tenants in the city. Nathan Williams, the man behind the petition, said:
“I was quite shocked to see such a crude and cynical attempt to profit from the housing crisis in Bristol. Estate agents should not be encouraging their landlord clients to raise rents in such a crude way. And the letter itself made no mention of tenants’ rights.”
The letting agency has refused to issue a statement. However, the story does illustrate how many areas are suffering from a severe shortage of available rental housing.
