One letting agent a month has been signing up to an ethical lettings charter in Bristol and more than 10,000 renters have pledged to take part, the Bristol Post has reported.

The local paper suggested the initiative could be the “answer to Bristol’s private rented housing crisis”, where campaigners say rents have hit nearly £1,000 a month.

Acorn Bristol, the tenants’ rights campaign group which devised the charter, has tweeted that agents including Holbrook Moran and Bristol SU Lettings have signed up to the charter.

Another agent, Lets Live Here, posted a blog on why the team have decided not to sign up to the charter.

The blog stated: “Having gone through the ethical lettings charter point by point, we decided we already fulfil every requirement, and in fact exceed the criteria specified within it.

“We did feel it is heavily focused on the needs of tenants, whereas as a lettings agency, we need to equally consider the needs of landlords.”

The charter is not accredited by legal bodies and “does not give us any additional endorsement to what we already have,” the agent added.

Acorn Bristol has been protesting for at least two years about the private rental market in the city.

EYE reported in October last year when the lettings charter was announced.

The scheme calls on agents and landlords to aim to achieve either a bronze, silver or gold standard. It encourages them, for example, to ask for reasonable deposits, ensure their homes are of a good standard of repair and give tenants at least six month notice of rent increases.

Bristol Council is holding an event on Wednesday evening to mark its official endorsement of the scheme.