By Sara Jacobo
A new Brighton and Hove tenants group is planning a series of protests outside lettings agencies which do not display the admin fees they charge, which add hundreds of pounds to the cost of moving.
Brighton Tenants Resistance met for the first time this month, with private tenants coming together to share stories of damp flats, fear of eviction, rising fees and a lack of regulation.
And after hearing how legal channels had failed to change the situation for the better, they resolved to take direct action, starting with a protest this Saturday along Western Road at 1pm.
The group’s inaugural meeting at the Friends Meeting House was organised by Matt Bolton, who said: “I feel really good about the direction the meeting went in and I was surprised by how many people were willing to take action.
“This is an issue that is important to many people and I’m happy about the plan of action.”
Leslie Morgan, a private tenant said: “This meeting really highlighted how big an issue this is and we will not let it get any worse.”
The demo was originally slated to start outside Leaders in New Road. However, Martina Packham, branch manager for Leaders, said any protest was unlikely to change her agency’s practices – which already include displaying fees.
She said: “Leaders does not take houses that are not up to standard. We have a duty of care to our tenants, particularly since most of them have families.”
She also said the agency fees are calculated by independent companies. When told about the demonstration, she said: “It’s happened before and it doesn’t really bother me
“Obviously, I would prefer they didn’t protest in front of our building but publicity is publicity.”
A follow up tenants resistance meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 4 at 7.30pm in the bar at the Old Ship Hotel to plan the next course of action.
Ignoring this will backfire on Martina Packham and her company, they need to be controlled and regulated, adding over £300 in fees, as well as deposit and 1.5 months rent is completely un-affordable for many people
What an arrogant uncaring response from Martina Packham, this is a real issue for private renters, I’m dreading the day when I have to move again and decide which bills I’m not going to pay to come up with these extortionate fees. Oh and I shall be avoiding Leaders, they’re very ‘how can I help you’ at the start, and ‘it’s not our problem’ once the tenancy starts.
Excuse me! Martina Packham is the LEAST arrogant and MOST caring lady I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. This seems to me like all lies and twisted words. This is slander to an incredibly professional female with a fantastic team behind her, I’ve recently rented through leaders and had fantastic service. You are a fool.
Since Martina’s not arrogant and uncaring, she should do her best not to say arrogant and uncaring things like this to the press, eh?
Next time I move, I’ll certainly avoid Leaders like the plague. These companies tend to forget that we tenants can actually choose who we go with. One day, the seemingly neverending stream of tenants might just dry up…
Hasn’t anybody ever told you not to believe everything you read? It’s false.
Your surname wouldn’t be Packham would it Becky ? If she didn’t say what the article is stating she said, she can sue them. We will wait to see if that actually happens. If it doesn’t, then it is fair to assume that IS what she actually said.
Hi there,
I already pay 250 to sign the contract, + 1.5 month in advance + 1 month…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1676903609191756/
That group is on Facebook… together we can do something!!!!!!!!!!
Martina is the best letting person in Brighton. She let our property and you can really tell she cares about the tenants and their happiness. The tenant fees were also clearly displayed when I was last in their New Road office two weeks ago. This story is very harsh on Martina and Leaders as they are the best agent in Brighton. There are plenty of Cowboys in the city but Leaders is not one of them.