A step forward for tenants’ rights?

City 18th March, 2015

Housing demonstration. Photo: Rowan Quarry

Following a campaign by Acorn, a community union, Bristol City Council voted unanimously to endorse an Ethical Lettings Charter. Around 100 people protested outside City Hall last night as councillors voted on the motion, meanwhile over 1700 people have issued their support for the charter. The Charter challenges landlords to sign up to better standards for renters, on key issues like secure tenancies, reasonable and protected deposits, good repairs and healthy homes, and an end to rip-off tenancy fees. Is this a step forward for tenants’ rights? Over the coming months the Bristol Cable will be looking into just how local landlords respond to this charter.

Photos: Rowan Quarry

Keep the Lights On

Investigative journalism strengthens democracy – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.

The Cable is Bristol’s independent, investigative newsroom. Owned and steered by more than 2,600 members, we produce award-winning journalism that digs deep into what’s happening in Bristol.

We are on a mission to become sustainable – will you help us get there?

Join now

What makes us different?

Comments

Report a comment. Comments are moderated according to our Comment Policy.

Related content

Investigations

Illustration of rows of orange and green houses plus cards from the game Monopoly.

Bristol council paying huge sums of money to rent homes from banned landlord

Back in 2022, Bristol City Council obtained a five-year court order barring landlord Naomi Knapp from renting out her homes. Now, it’s spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money to use her properties as emergency accommodation.

Alex Turner and Daisy Steinhardt

People's History

A red brick corner building on a city street with large windows and white panels

Celebrating 30 years of the Base for Anarchy and Solidarity in Easton (BASE)

As the Easton-based social centre reaches its thirtieth birthday, we explore the history of the much-loved volunteer-run community space, which began life as a squat back in the mid-1990s

Tom Anderson

People's History

A photograph of terraced housing and a harbour from photograph of Bristol in 1880.

How a 19th-century journalist revealed the extent of poverty in Victorian Bristol

A series of newspaper articles published in 1883 give us a fascinating insight into working-class Bristolian life at a time of severe economic depression. It was the first real instance of investigative reporting in the city.

Eugene Byrne

Reports

Illustration of a three tower blocks held by rope falling on three people's heads, on a pink background

As Bristol battles to build affordable housing, developers are still gaming the system

The Cable has uncovered a brazen attempt by prolific property developers to escape building affordable housing, at a time when the city is still falling well short of its own targets.

Matty Edwards

Area in Focus

A man in a dark jacket stands in front of an overgrown Family Caring Centre sign, surrounded by trees and branches.

‘South Bristol loses again’: new race to save athletics track

The former Whitchurch Athletics Track risks being bulldozed to make way for a planned housing development. Can local campaigners save it?

Matty Edwards

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Neil Maggs

Listen: Bristol Unpacked, with former Lord Mayor Paul Goggin on homelessness, mental health and the struggle for south Bristol votes

'It's been eventful', says Paul Goggin, of a life that has featured both rough sleeping and local politics. He joins Neil Maggs to talk housing, faith, and whether Labour should fear Reform in wards like Hartcliffe and Withywood.

Alex Turner, Neil Maggs and George Colwey

Cable

Community

Sections

Membership

A step forward for tenants’ rights?

Keep the Lights On

Comments

Related content

Bristol council paying huge sums of money to rent homes from banned landlord

Celebrating 30 years of the Base for Anarchy and Solidarity in Easton (BASE)

How a 19th-century journalist revealed the extent of poverty in Victorian Bristol

As Bristol battles to build affordable housing, developers are still gaming the system

‘South Bristol loses again’: new race to save athletics track

Listen: Bristol Unpacked, with former Lord Mayor Paul Goggin on homelessness, mental health and the struggle for south Bristol votes

Keep the Lights On

Comments

Related content

Bristol council paying huge sums of money to rent homes from banned landlord

Celebrating 30 years of the Base for Anarchy and Solidarity in Easton (BASE)

How a 19th-century journalist revealed the extent of poverty in Victorian Bristol

As Bristol battles to build affordable housing, developers are still gaming the system

‘South Bristol loses again’: new race to save athletics track

Listen: Bristol Unpacked, with former Lord Mayor Paul Goggin on homelessness, mental health and the struggle for south Bristol votes

Get the essential stories you won’t find anywhere else

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter