Haringey Private Tenants Meeting Tuesday 24th September

Haringey Private Tenants Action Group Meeting
Tuesday 24th September, 6.30pm
Cafe Life, North London Community Centre, 22 Moorfield Road behind Bruce Grove Station, N17 6PY

See leaflet here, please forward….. all welcome.

Having problems with your landlord? Can’t afford your rent? Sick of moving every six months? Fed up with the current housing situation? There is a different way..

Come and join other private tenants to get organised, share experiences, take collective action to solve problems, and campaign for better housing for us all…. we are all entitled to decent, secure and genuinely affordable housing in our local area. Landlords are increasing rents to unaffordable levels, discriminating against people on housing benefit – and private tenants are left vulnerable to exploitation. Housing is a fundamental right. There are over 25,000 private tenants in Haringey – let’s get together and take action to support tenants and challenge landlords, letting agents, developers and anyone else who is trying to exploit us. Unless we take action together, our voices will remain unheard and our situation will remain precarious.

Shelter recently estimated that up to two thirds of landlords are mortgage free, so they actually only require enough funds from tenants to cover costs for maintenance, and many mortgage providers state that there is no restriction for how long a tenant can stay – But, mortgage or no mortgage, there is no reason why landlords should be charging unaffordable rents and providing insecure tenancies causing stress and financial problems for so many tenants….so rents need to be forced down – Rent caps are one solution.

Also, the Advertising Standards Authority has just brought in a requirement that all landlord and letting agents must, by the 1st November, state clearly all extra fees charged to tenants, rather than trapping people who are desperate for housing.

Support one another Join together with other private tenants to support one another, share experiences, solve problems and take action collectively.

Challenge landlords  We need to take back control of our lives and demand the right to affordable and secure housing. Housing is a necessity, and no one should be discriminated against for being low waged or be on housing benefit. If you can’t afford your rent the landlord is charging too much –  We can campaign to put that message out. We could make sure we name and shame all landlords and letting agents who discriminate and charge unaffordable rents. We can help to empower tenants to try to negotiate with their landlord over rents. Landlords can be persuaded to keep a reliable, known tenant on a lower rent, rather than have to go through a costly and inconvenient process of finding a new tenant.

Haringey Private Tenants Action Group is meeting monthly to support one another with renting problems, discuss taking action to improve housing for us all and improve the rights of private tenants in Haringey. Email for more info: haringeyprivatetenants@gmail.com, or come to our next meeting.

September 20, 2013  Tags: ,   Posted in: LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, NEWS