A new website has been launched with the backing of a number of organisations, including tenants’ activists group Acorn.
Called Marks out of Tenancy, its aim is to give renters genuine information about properties, landlords, agents and areas.
Tenants can anonymously post their reviews on the platform, which features as part of Acorn’s Renters Rising campaign.
The Bristol-based group said: “We found that the process of finding our next rental property was far too complicated … we weren’t being given access to all the information.
“So in typical fashion of the internet, we figured we’d crowd source the information people need, share it in a straightforward and good looking way and help people to make the best decisions about where they’re going to rent next.”
A spokesperson for Marks Out Of Tenancy, which has launched the site, said that as well as Acorn, it is working with Generation Rent, universities, and local councils.
The spokesperson told EYE: “Additionally, we’re in discussions with landlord and agency associations, landlords and letting agents – the proactive types see our site as a platform for real change.”
So far, there are only a handful of reviews of agents in places including Bristol, Leeds, Cheltenham and York, but tenants everywhere are being called upon to add their opinions.
There are some very good reviews – step forward Aberdein Considine and Co, in Ellon, Aberdeen; Northwood of York; and Flatline, Bristol.
The are also some so-so reviews, and some which are damning. This looks like a site for agents to keep an eye on.
Comments (8)
Good intentions … extremely naïve, hope they have deep pockets for the litigation that could flow in their direction.
Why would they have more litigation than existing review sites? If that were true allagents would have shut long ago surely?
There is one reason and one reason only for this being launched – they liked the “TENancy” pun so much they were desperate to build a business around it.
Presumably either the poster or the website needs to have evidence to support their poor rating? Otherwise the libel lawyers will have a field day.
As another reply here, what’s to stop tenants or a competitor leaving malicious and false comments, or agents leaving themselves very good comments ?
Can you imagine the uproar if landlords and agents launched a website anonymously naming ex-tenants they felt were bad tenants – not because they had any specific evidence, just because they fell out over a relatively minor point ?
Perhaps a solution would be for the TDS adjudication services to publish names and results of deposit adjudications. This would highlight landlords and tenants who repeatedly refer disputes or those who refer disputes for trivial amounts?
Couldn’t agree more with the above comments. This is a pointless website and another site launched by novices. Why not stick to google reviews and trustpilot.
“Why not stick to google reviews and trustpilot.”
SERIOUSLY? Have you actually read any of the “reviews” on Trustpilot that people are meant to be able to base an informed decision on??
Why anonymous? In my opinion that just allows posters to be vitriolic without a fair chance of the receiving party being able to defend the opinion. What’s to stop someone who has no connection or has never had a tenancy commenting?
I am concerned that this site identifies property that is rental property and this will be used by fraudsters who prey on rental properties for their scams. I wonder what protection that have in place to prevent malicious reviews?