We don’t need to tell you how dire it is for most
tenants, with social housing (whether council or housing association) being few
and far between and private rentals often just a way for get-rich-quick
buy-to-let landlords to keep tenants in increasingly overcrowded and poor
accommodation paying extortionate rent with next to no security of tenure.
It doesn’t have to be this way. But to change
things for the better needs organisation by us as renters—whether private,
council or housing association tenants.
Leicester AF sees a real need for genuine working
class organisation against the worsening situation for those of us who have to
rent their homes.
In the short-term, we would like to work with
others to help set up a radical housing group in the city. In the
longer term, we would like to see the establishment of tenant-led renters’
unions in the city.
Such organisations should offer vital support and
solidarity to fellow renters and should encourage self-organisation and
collective action. In other words, the kind of organisation that means
ordinary people stick together to get things done to defend ourselves from
unscrupulous landlords or anyone else who tries to divide working
class people according to our race, sex, age, disability, employment
status, sexuality or cultural background.
If you’re interested in getting involved in such a
project, then you can either keep an eye on our website for any upcoming
meetings on this issue, or drop us a line
at leicesteraf[AT]gmail.com with
the words “Radical Housing” in the subject line.
Some other useful contacts:
Radical Housing Network: www.radicalhousingnetwork.org
Shelter UK: www.shelter.org.uk
London Coalition Against Poverty www.lcap.org.uk
Advisory Service for Squatters www.squatter.org.uk
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