Response to Acorn - Norwich Protest

On May 16th, the Eastern Landlords Association's conference in Norwich was subject to a protest by Acorn Norwich.

Acorn claims their protest was 'returning the favour' after our members supposedly 'crashed' one of their meetings last year. This is a misrepresentation. In reality, a single ELA member attended one of their public meetings, openly identified himself as a landlord, and attempted to engage in a constructive dialogue about the private rented sector and the aims of both organisations. Instead of a two-way conversation, he was pressured to sign up for Acorn membership.

Eastern Landlords Association is dedicated to supporting compliant, good, and safe landlords. We advocate for fair treatment of landlords by government and councils, recognising that this is crucial for landlords to continue providing essential housing and address the shortage caused by failures in government policy and underinvestment in social housing. The private rented sector is vital for meeting the growing demand for homes. Our members are landlords who prioritise their tenants' well-being and compliance. Those attending our conference were there to learn and improve, an effort that should be commended.

Unfortunately, Acorn Norwich chose to demonise attendees and later, on social media, disseminate misinformation, including claims about members 'shaking with rage' or having 'clearly not met tenants.'  When an ELA team member, who are themselves, a lifelong PRS tenant, attempted to engage with them constructively, they were met with indifference and a flat refusal to engage in dialogue.

Acorn Norwich advocates for a city-wide landlord licensing policy, including a central register and fines for unfit properties. It's important to note that both of these objectives will be addressed by the incoming Renters' Rights Bill. Acorn's push for a separate, additional scheme is therefore redundant, could undermine the effectiveness of the national legislation, and would ultimately burden tenants with increased rents to fund its operation which will not help reduce or prevent poverty.

While ELA fully supports the objective of poverty prevention and relief, as stated by Acorn's controlling organisation, we question how harassing and intimidating law-abiding landlords contributes to this goal. Acorn Norwich has a history of employing aggressive tactics, as evidenced by prior incidents Acorn group denies councillors intimidation claims The police were called to our conference and promptly dispersed the protestors.

Eastern Landlords Association urges Acorn the Union to engage in a constructive and non-aggressive dialogue with us. We believe that by working together, we can improve the private rented sector for both tenants and landlords. We advocate for a fair and balanced system that protects tenants and ensures the sustainability of rental housing stock. However, we will not tolerate bullying, harassment, intimidation, or the spread of misinformation.