As Private Tenants, we want to feel secure in our homes, and not be forced out without good reason. Currently, we can be given ‘notice to quit’ even if we have been living in the property for a long time, paid our rent on time, and generally been a good tenant. This leaves many of …
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If you’ve seen our Facebook page recently, you might have noticed that EPTAG has launched a new campaign called Home To Stay. We’re calling on the Scottish Government to abolish the short assured tenancy, which forces thousands of households to live under constant threat of eviction. Since it was introduced in 1989, the short assured …
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Following our protest Albany lettings paid up!
March 22nd, 2013 | Posted by in News - (Comments Off)Kerstin’s account of how, with the help of EPTAG, she got Albany Lettings to pay what they owe! When I moved into a new flat in July 2010, I was charged a £65 “referencing fee” by Albany Lettings. However, I then found out through EPTAG that these tenancy fees are illegal, and so I started …
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Private tenants and supporters! Our next meeting is to plan our new campaign to get tenants better security of tenure, and we need your help to make it a success! At the moment security of tenure in the private rented sector is very poor, and many tenants don’t feel secure enough to even complain about …
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Please help us support a tenant claiming their illegally charged fees back! Kerstin recently obtained a decree from the court against Albany Lettings saying they have to pay back illegally charged fees, but they are refusing to pay up, so we are organising a protest at their office to help Kerstin get the money she is owed! Help …
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Another victory for Edinburgh private tenants as criminal landlord banned
February 25th, 2013 | Posted by in News - (Comments Off)Edinburgh City Council recently ruled that millionaire businessman Mark Fortune be removed from the city’s licensing register as unfit to operate as a landlord. It is the first time that the council has refused a landlord application. It is now illegal for this individual to let out properties and charge rents. The story is covered …
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EPTAG attended the Edinburgh Tenants Federation protest against fuel poverty on February 15th. Around fifty people were there, including lots of private tenants. There was a samba band, ‘Rhythms of Resistance‘ which gave the protest a great atmosphere. 2000 Scots die every year from fuel poverty, largely older people and low income people. Private tenants …
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Has the ban on letting agent fees really pushed up rent?
January 25th, 2013 | Posted by in Uncategorized - (Comments Off)Last week EPTAG received a request for someone to speak to a journalist about the rising costs of renting. I suspect they wanted us to tell them that rent is increasing, which is a hardship for our members. I gave them a quote, which you can read in the article here. There’s no doubt that …
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Fuel Poverty: A choice between “heating and eating” is killing 2000 Scots each year
November 26th, 2012 | Posted by in Uncategorized - (Comments Off)Statistics on fuel poverty make for bleak reading. 28% of homes in Scotland are considered to be in fuel poverty which means they spend over 10% of their income on energy bills. Scottish Government housing condition research states that private tenants are the most likely sector of society to experience “extreme fuel poverty” (defined as …
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Rip-off letting agency shut down for the day by protest!
October 11th, 2012 | Posted by in Uncategorized - (Comments Off)On October 2nd, protesters from Edinburgh Private Tenants’ Action Group shut down a letting agency which is still demanding illegal fees from its tenants, despite the Scottish Government confirming that charging such fees is a crime. A dozen EPTAG ‘sheriffs’ arrived at the offices of the Edinburgh Spaces letting agency to investigate reports of a …
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