Members in Aberdeen successfully negotiated with Winchesters Lettings to stop the imminent eviction of our member Ripley and secured an £800 rent refund! 

Aberdeen members Tracy and Tally tell you all about it below...

Twas just before Christmas... 

It's three months before Christmas and Ripley receives a 'Notice to Leave' email from Winchesters Lettings requesting for the property to be vacated by 28th November, in the deep Scottish midwinter. 

This came on top of persistent leaks which had been affecting the walls of the flat, an issue which had been ongoing for the last 18 months.  On the 30th of August Ripley reported the third instance of leaking in her flat. 

Four days later, on Ripley’s four year anniversary of moving into the property, Winchesters Lettings stated that;  

'due to the level of work required to be carried out at the property, to the extent that it will no longer be habitable, the landlord has asked us to issue notice'.

And at a later date exclaimed that '...we are trying to take a property that has had a number of issues and repair it to a state that will be more agreeable in future...the scale of works required to modernise this property means that this will take a number of months to complete...'

No room at the inn... 

Ripley was in a race against time to find suitable and affordable accommodation when students had returned to University and competition for rental property was at its height. 

'It was stressful and exhausting, and made me feel miserable being stuck spending money I couldn't afford searching for flats, not knowing how I was supposed to pay the deposit on one even if I found one I liked'. 

Winchesters Lettings stated that the notice to vacate had been 'issued in line with all legal requirements' and that they 'politely decline an in person meeting' despite Ripley specifically requesting this in writing, formally minuted and with Living Rent in attendance as the 'only reasonable environment to discuss this'.

A friend steps in... 

On advice from a friend Ripley joined Living Rent and together we worked alongside Ripley to contact Winchesters by email, negotiating back and forth over 2 months in order to reach an acceptable solution.    

This concluded on the 23rd of October with an action outside Winchesters offices in order to secure a face to face meeting regarding Ripley's case. 

This was joined by Ripley, Living Rent and The Granite Gays who provided solidarity and moral support on the day. 

Founder and lead administrator for Granite Gays, and member of Living Rent, Esme Houston stated that 'We're very proud of the part we played in this'. 

Ripley said the meeting was secured in good time without having to wait outside too long and Living Rent acted as mediators and negotiators with Winchesters. 

Living Rent member David Ferguson said;

'The action at Winchester's had a twofold effect; on one hand the numbers outside making noise created enough of a stooshie that they were immediately keen to reach an agreement so that we would leave, and on the other hand it really helped Ripley feel supported and validated.

Happily ever after in Aberdeen... 

For Ripley this effort and mediation at the face to face meeting alongside other members of Living Rent secured an extension of the 'Notice to Leave' until March 2026, giving time required for Ripley to find suitable and affordable accommodation.  Ripley will also receive a two months rent refund of £800 on top of her deposit, the refund being paid in £50 instalments each month to account for the up front costs of new accommodation.

Living Rent member Alistair Spencer said;  

‘The successful negotiation with Winchester's was quite remarkable. It's almost exhilarating to find just one little push-back you can make and feel you've helped birth one positive change’ 

Ripley commented afterwards; 

'It was exhausting and difficult with my health conditions but a lot more effective than I expected...' 

and; 

'...there was a long period in the middle where it felt like nothing was getting anywhere and I began to fear that I was wasting my time and just using up energy I'd rather have been spending on a flat search, but I'm glad I stuck it through...' 

Now that the pressure is off for a time on the lead up to Christmas Ripley commented; 

'I feel relieved... it'll mean I don't have to worry about settling for living in a dump for fear of being out of a home by Christmas.'