You don’t have to leave it to others to campaign on your behalf; private renters all over London are campaigning locally for a better deal.
Some teach others about renting law, or how to get practical help from the council; some root out bad landlords and tell local media about them. Some lobby their local council to make them introduce landlord licensing schemes, or to take more landlords to court.
Some organise protests outside letting agents; some meet their MPs regularly to tell them what renting in their area is really like, and show them why we need better renting laws. Some simply offer emotional support to renters being bullied by their landlords. Some form groups with other renters in their area; some do it alone.
Here are some local groups to start you off. Each has a different focus and style, but all are tackling London’s housing crisis at a local level. If your local group isn’t active or isn’t doing the kind of thing you’d like to do, don’t be put off: you can campaign independently or find like-minded others to work with.
Local groups for private renters:
Brent: Advice4Renters http://www.advice4renters.org.uk/
Camden: Camden Federation of Private Tenants http://www.cfpt.org.uk/
Hackney: Digs http://hackneyrenters.org/
Islington: Islington Private Tenants http://islingtonprivatetenants.org.uk/
Lambeth/Southwark: South London Renters http://lambethrenters.wordpress.com/
Redbridge: Redbridge Renters http://redbridgerenters.org.uk
Tower Hamlets: Tower Hamlets Renters http://towerhamletsrenters.org/
Waltham Forest: Waltham Forest Renters http://wf-renters.org.uk/
National groups for private renters:
Generation Rent: www.generationrent.org
Priced Out: http://www.pricedout.org.uk/
Shelter: http://www.shelter.org.uk/