What was the problem?
Imagine needing a new dustpan and brush, then being told by your landlord it’ll cost you £45!
It’s hard to believe but, for many renters, being ripped off by their letting agent or landlord like this wasn’t out of the ordinary.
Other incredible fees included £200 to remove a set of saucepans, £500 for a reference and credit check and, in one case, £10 to iron some curtains — per curtain! We even found that one in seven had paid more than £500 in these random letting agency fees. It was shocking.
What we did
Something had to change so, back in 2013, we started campaigning to get letting fees banned.
You lead the campaign by speaking out against the fees, signing our petition and telling us your stories about the eye-watering costs you had endured as private renters.
What we achieved together
In November 2016, the government announced a ban on letting fees. Then in 2019, thanks to 4,283 emails to your MPs, we successfully closed a loophole in the proposed Tenant Fees Bill that could have allowed for extortionate fees to continue.
Getting letting fees banned is an amazing, bold step forward for renters, and it was all because of your support. Thank you.