A message from Edinburgh Private Tentants Action Group:
Edinburgh private tenants are demanding letting agencies stop breaking the law, and will be setting up a ‘crime scene’ outside a well known letting agency on Friday 20th of July, meeting at 11.30am, as a protest against illegal fees and charges.
Tenants will be dressing up as sheriffs and detectives, to draw attention to the fact that the vast majority of letting agencies are breaking the law. Please come in costume and in character as well, if you are up for that!
We will be publicising the fact that hundreds of people have been successfully claiming this money back, by threatening small claims actions, and are urging more tenants to do the same.
These fees have been illegal for nearly thirty years, under the Rents (Scotland) Act 1984, however letting agencies are continuing to charge tenants for things like ‘administration’, inventories, and credit or referencing checks. There is no excuse for this illegal behaviour, and we are campaigning to stamp this practice out.
The exact location and agency which is to be targeted will be kept secret until the day, however the meeting point is St Andrews Square at 11.30am on Friday the 20th July, close to the entrance to the bus station. The letting agency is only a short walk from the meeting point.
Hope to see you all there!