Foxtons was at the centre of a violent demonstration over the weekend – and there was industry outrage at a remark on Twitter by online agent Russell Quirk.
The branch, in Brixton, had a large window completely smashed during the Reclaim Brixton protest while the words “Yuppies out” and “No evictions” were spray-painted across another. Police arrested one person on suspicion of criminal damage.
Quirk, founder of eMoov, tweeted: “A new window at #Foxtons: £2000. The symbolism of a greedy industry detested by the public? Priceless #reclaimbrixton”
Estate agents who took offence at the remark included Chris Wood, who said: “Disturbing that anyone would seemingly take pleasure in acts of mob-rule vandalism. Shame on you.”
Another agent, Andrew Overman, tweeted: “How could anyone take delight in mindless vandalism and use it as an advertising opportunity. #ShameOnYou @eMoov”
Saturday’s Reclaim Brixton rally, attended by thousands of people, began peacefully before a breakaway group first stormed the town hall before turning their attention to Foxtons.
Later, police revealed they had used tear gas to disperse demonstrators who entered Brixton police station. Pictures show police apparently wearing riot gear standing guard outside the station.
There were reports of continuing acts of vandalism on shops and other premises in Brixton as Saturday evening wore on, with police maintaining their guard on Foxtons as protesters continued chanting outside the branch. Protesters also used estate agency signs belonging to other businesses.
Foxtons has been continuously targeted as a symbol of ‘gentrification’ in Brixton, with protesters claiming they are being priced out of the south London area.
Many also took to Twitter, with one person saying: “Furious that Foxtons Brixton has had their window smashed. Not because I like Foxtons at all but allows #ReclaimBrixton to be devalued.”
Another tweeted: “So what if a window did get smashed. Maybe then, these people will understand what pain they cause.”
Comments (26)
A story was run a few weeks ago about these mindless idiots. At the time i said they should concentrate on getting a job as opposed to this pathetic and idiotic protesting.
Then a few days later they were advocating taking ‘For Sale’ boards and turning them into planters (theft and criminal damage).
And now smashing a window to an agent! – Its not their fault Brixton is being redeveloped.
Its a free society. This is change. If you want to live there and afford property, better yourself and getting a better paid job.
Or if you want to appeal to those of a liberal heart stop vandalism, theft and criminal damage. YOU ARE NOT WINNING ANY FANS!
As for Quirk show what a p***k he really is!
To be fair, like any protest, there are always some that are prepared to take things too far and they often don’t represent the majority viewpoint. Interesting that the person who defended the protest before (can’t remember his/her name) hasn’t come on to defend these actions today!
Our very own Wolfie Smith? that was Bryterlayter.
Oh, too right, Robert!
Ah yes the Bryterlayter! – So above it all and a great human being in general just looking out for people and looking to live and let live, not a capitalist despite buying and selling property and having a job to fund his amateur music hobbies. Some say its actually ‘Saint Bryterlayter’…..
UNTIL you disagree with him and then he reverts to type like the rest of them because he cannot back up his thoughts with reason just he and his friends deserve to live there BECAUSE!
Wrecking shops and general vandalism isn’t reclaiming anything. I let a property very close to Brixton and, put simply, Brixton has become a nicer place for everyone to live as the result of investment and yes, some gentrification. Are there social issues to resolve? Of course. Will developing Brixton market drive up business rents and kill some of what makes Brixton special? Yes and I agree sensible and sensitive development is critical. But vandalism? What next? turning on long standing local residents for selling their properties and profiteering? Just insane.
I simply can’t wait for Mr Jury’s appearance…
I don’t think he will comment today…….his silence will speak volumes. I wonder if anyone has bought the Quirk comments to the attention of the local paper and the local council/tory party in Brentwood. Voters in that area should see what his views on vandalism and law breaking are!
his silence will speak volumes….. sorry guys, we’re busy working here at eMoov.
Tomorrow, I’m looking forward to us all discussing what Russell had for lunch today, I’ll ask him to share on Instagram.
So, Stephen, do you endorse Russells comments regarding the violent vandalism of commercial property?
May I simply remind you that it is Mr Quirk’s ‘sharing of the previous day’s nourishment’ that is under discussion here, Mr Jury.
He should simply flush next time. We don’t want to see it or hear about it.
Similarly, you do yourself no favours as usual with this ridiculous comment.
Russell Quirk of eMoov supports mindless vandalism and violent attacks on property is what his comment in this article suggests to me, in my opinion. He is even missing the point of the protest…….yes agency is the focus for the protest but not the reason. The reason is property prices in Brixton being too high. Tell me Russell are you planning for eMoov to undersell instructions in Brixton, in agreement with the protesters views ??
You have had defining moments in your career as a high street agent (we all know where that ended up!) and maybe this will turn out to be the one in your online phase.
I wouldn’t mind if you actually agreed with what you say! I must say I never thought you would sink this low to try and get some cheap publicity……But hey if you want to get publicity by agreeing with the actions of violent vandals who want property prices to be sold much lower than their market price…. then good luck translating this publicity into agency business!!!!
It is window display rage, Russell Quirk can’t get himself on OTM because he hasn’t got a window display and so when a window get broken he has a little cheer. Old fashion envy ( on multiple levels) un masked by ignorance, a general lack of decorum and a characteristic PI sector desire for self promotion.
I thought Ros would cover this story by saying she gave us 3 weeks notice but instead of saying ‘told you so’ she managed to find an even deeper low point to the weekend than anyone was expecting. Given Peebee’s snake belly opinion of Mr Quirk that is surprising.
What I am looking forward to is how Stephen Jury manages to put a positive spin on this! That is a toughie!
Always bemuses me when estate agents get blamed for house prices. Not a lack of supply in a marketplace. Too easy to lash out at someone in the street rather than an overarching problem with global economics. I always wonder if people who blame estate agents for house prices ask an estate agent to get the least amount of money for their property.
The answer to that is so easy to give, Mr Walker.
You may remember a certain Mr Hendry – retired surveyor; owner, “Consultant in Housing Valuation”; “Website Manager” and tea-boy all wrapped into one of a woeful FSBO website, who has spent what feels like decades banging on about how every part-time hairdresser should be able to afford a six-bedroom mansionette in Mayfair on his or her salary (without tips, obviously…). Now he was selling his own property in Nottingham somewhere, and had a right cob on with several different Estate Agents causing him to write to their principals, the NAEA, RICS, RSPB and several Government Departments and other parties proclaiming that HIS way would sort out the world. At the time, there was a canny HPCer going by the name of Sibley’s…, who would give a body part to own a property, and was looking in the Midlands. I made an offer to this chap on behalf of young Sibs, based not upon what this chap had unsuccessfully been attempting to achieve for month upon month – but what Sibs and his family could afford. Did the vendor take the offer?
Yeah, right. Shut him up for a few days, though – so there was a result of sorts… ;o)
Frankly if I were Russell Quirk I would be having a very nervous few days; suggesting that smashing estate agents windows as an act against a greedy industry and calling such action priceless, could easily see him the wrong side of the incitement to riot laws. What a stupid, stupid man.
Oh and I see he is the tory councillor for Brentwood Council, serving on and get this: the Business and Town Centres Committee.
Maybe if the googles,Amazons ,banks and billionaires of this world paid what they should into the system we would be able to afford some more community housing .Funny that the protest seems to be about the end player in the chain, not the root cause .Why are they not campaigning outside the houses of the billionaires who pay no UK tax ?
If HMRC collected all the tax on all the rent collected we would probably have enough to start resolving the housing crisis. ONS put the figure of PRS tenancies in excess of 4,000,000 but HMRC do not know and are according to a letter I have are not interested in knowing who the landlords are.
Piecing together the at best vague stats from the two government departments it seems 50 or 60% of landlords do not declare any rental income.
4,100,000 (tenancies) x 780 ( pcm rent) x 12 (months) x 0.5 (50% not paying) x 0.2 ( 20% profit after fees and deductions) x 0.325 (32.5% tax- mid point between basic and higher rate tax)
Call me harshly critical but I think HMRC would do well to bash their calculator and pull their finger out in a sector where tax is easily calculable and collectable using legislation that already exists.
It comes to about £1,250,000,000 annually going un-collected because the landlords’ UTR are not linked to the AST. HMRC can claim back 20 years of undeclared tax so if I had any influence I would start by simply asking for an SA105 from everyone due to complete one, and a section 19 report from everyone collecting money on their clients’ behalf.
It’s an intersting point Robert. We all know that the vast majority of 2-5 unit semi pro landlords who don’t pay tax have the houses in the name of the spouse/sister/Brother/dog/cat/guy you know from the pub. The HMRC would rather concentrate their efforts where it’s easy to prove you owe some cash and there is no big complicated chain hence no one chasing … It’s the same as speeding fines . They’d rather not run the hard yards …
Whoever’s name is on the tenancy agreement is due to complete an SA105 land and property tax return. If every AST was filed online with the appropriate tax reference attached, a 4.1 million line excel spread sheet could be created, column data sorted by utr to group & total by tax reference. It really could not be any easier. They haven’t got to do anything other than allow the tech that has ben sat there ready for 10 years to be switched on.
I remember all too well the London riots. I feel for the poor negs who were in Foxtons office when the window was smashed. It must have been terrifying. I doubt Russell’s joke will have cheered them up. Its a sad indictment that a company with proper regulations, compliance and training is constantly targeted rather than a dodgy agent with dodgy practices. This is what happens when an industry is demonized rather than a focus on consumer education.
Even the organisers distanced themselves from the half wits who made what should have been a peaceful protest into what we ended up with but Quirky boy looks to be siding with the mindless, thick, over opinionated outsiders that do not represent the views of 99 % of people, I wonder what appealed to him about them? – odd little man – Jonnie
The result of recent anti-agent / anti-landlord sentiment. Not helped at all by our politicians.
Mr Quirk – you have reached a new depth that even I didn’t think you were capable of.
Disgusting isn’t it PeeBee. I should hope we see an apology from Mr Quirk today now that his no doubt sobered up from a weekend on the lash, which can be the only possible explanation for such a ridiculous comment.