HORIZON PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN CROWNED CARDIFF’S WORST LANDLORD AFTER UNION SAYS NUMEROUS RENTERS SUFFER.
ONE ANONYMOUS TENANT SAID: “THE ACTION OF HORIZON CAUSED ME SO MUCH STRESS I WAS ACTIVELY SUICIDAL.”
ACORN’S ACTIVISTS ARE FIGHTING AN ONGOING BATTLE TO PUBLICISE THE POOR BEHAVIOUR OF LETTING AGENTS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF VULNERABLE TENANTS.
THE UNION SERVED FIRST MINISTER MARK DRAKEFORD AN EVICTION NOTICE LAST SUMMER, PUTTING A SPOTLIGHT ON WELSH LABOUR’S INACTION OVER THE COVID RENTING CRISIS.
Mark S Redfern
Community union ACORN Cardiff have awarded Cardiff letting agent Horizon Properties the prize of Cardiff’s Worst Landlord in a ceremony outside the company’s Cathays office today. One tenant who spoke to the union has said that the “action of Horizon caused me so much stress I was actively suicidal.”
ACORN, who use direct action to win fair treatment for their tenant members, organised the makeshift ‘awards ceremony’ following months of protests.
The union was launched in May 2020 to fight for tenants rights and to resists landlords who use a lack of government scrutiny to take advantage of vulnerable tenants.
A spokesperson for the union said: “One of our members Eve is a young international student and is being treated horrifically by Horizon Properties.”
“Not only is she being forced to cover bills for the entire HMO [house in multiple occupation] she rents just one room in, they have entered her property without permission, been late with house repairs, and are threatening her with legal action for trying to speak out.”
The grassroots union have already gained hundreds of pounds in unfair fees back for their tenants as well as having protested unfair treatment by letting agents.
Their activists campaign against letting agents like Horizon who they say lack respect for the safety, wellbeing, and privacy of their tenants.
One anonymous Horizon renter told ACORN: “The action of Horizon caused me so much stress I was actively suicidal.” Another said: “When viewings started, they wouldn’t give us notice and would just turn up unannounced.”
ACORN have been using inventive tactics to draw attention to housing issues within Wales, not holding back from shaming fat cat landlords who squeeze their tenants whilst raking in a wealth from property ownership.
The union also take aim at lazy politicians, with activists serving an eviction notice to First Minister Mark Drakeford last summer to draw attention to his inaction to protect vulnerable tenants in Wales faced with losing their homes.
ACORN continued: “We have written letters, made phone calls and held pickets outside the Horizon office, but none of it seems to be helping. We want to emphasise just how awful the treatment Eve, and other tenants like her are facing is.”
The organisation were part of an alliance of pressure groups, including Black Lives Matter and People’s Assembly Wales, who hit out at the First Minister after the Welsh Government dragged their feet in lifting a ban on outdoor protests back in April this year.
To join the union, or for more information, visit https://www.acorntheunion.org.uk/join.
