British stand up comedian and actor Sean Lock is starring in a new spoof film, launched today by the housing charity Shelter, to raise awareness of the danger posed by a minority of rogue landlords in the private rented sector.
The film, which also features Green Wing and The Office actors Oliver Chris and Sally Bretton and Mike Fielding (The Mighty Boosh), depicts a scene where a rogue landlord is showing prospective tenants around a grotty and dangerous property, oblivious to any problems it could pose to them.
It forms part of a wider campaign by the charity highlighting the unscrupulous practices adopted by some rogue landlords who are taking advantage of the rental boom and wreaking havoc on tenant’s lives.
Over the past twelve months the housing and homelessness charity has seen overall complaints about landlords increase by 23 per cent. Specific issues include complaints regarding shocking levels of dampness and disrepair which have risen by over forty per cent and complaints of harassment by private landlords which have risen by nearly a quarter.
Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Despite the amusing script and characters, the fact is that the horrifying conditions shown in the film are a reality for thousands of people in this country.
“It’s frightening to see that complaints about bad landlords are increasing at such a rate, at the very time that renting a home is fast becoming the only option for thousands of families across this country. It appears that rogue landlords are cashing in on this growing market. “With Government policy directing more vulnerable people towards the private rented sector, it seems entirely negligent of the housing minister to have not yet produced any clear commitment to clamp down on rogue landlords. It is imperative that the minister sits up and recognises the growth of this sector and his responsibility to 3.4 million households in this country.
“We hope people will watch the film and join Shelter’s fight to stop this small group of underhand operators wreaking havoc on people’s lives."
Watch the film and sign the petition. To help raise money for Shelter, why not check out our contributor Stina Jones and her Daily Doodle project, which aims to support the cause.
