A lettings agent has hit out at a demonstration in which activists plastered his premises with ‘crime scene’ tape and placards, claiming he wasn’t properly displaying fees.
Acorn Bristol protested outside lettings agency Zed & Co claiming the family-run firm was not meeting their legal requirement for agencies to display their fees. The demo took place while the agency was closed, apparently after it was warned that a protest would take place.
The director of the firm who only gave his name to EYE as Zed, insists he has never broken any laws and said he is now being harassed as a result of coverage of the protest.
Zed agreed to include his fees online but said previously each listing said “fees apply” while anyone could request the charges by visiting the branch.
Section 83 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says agents must display a list of fees on their website but Zed insisted to EYE that it was sufficient to say “fees apply” and claimed other agents in the area do the same.
He said: “No one wants to break the law. On the website it previously said ‘fees apply’ in the property descriptions, and if people wanted to know more they could have just come into the office and asked. No one has ever complained about this.”
He said since the protest on Saturday, which was picked up by the local press in Bristol, he has received threatening emails, with one saying: “This is what you get for being the sh**test lettings agent.”
Zed added: “Acorn didn’t come to my office and ask, they just wanted to get the publicity when we were closed.
“This is my livelihood. We are living in a supposedly civilised society, where there are bodies monitoring us.”
Louie Herbert, lead organiser for Acorn Bristol, said none of his members would send harassing emails.
He added: “As a democratic organisation, we vote on lettings agents where we feel action is needed.
“We are meeting with Zed & Co on Friday [tomorrow] to talk about changes and help them work out what to do to be compliant with the legislation.”
Below, during the protest: before the demonstrators left, they plastered the windows with ‘crime scene’ tape and posters
I’m sorry but surely there must be more in play here than an agent not displaying his fees correctly. If that were the case protests would be happening at certain companies up and down the land.
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Have a look at their online reviews…
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Sounds like an agent that cannot be bothered to keep abreast of the every changing legal requirements.
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You reap what you sow……..
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A quick look at their website homepage is enough to see they haven’t heard of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 – spelling is a bit dodgy too !
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