An Open Letter to Cheltenham's Good Landlords and Airbnb Hosts: We're On Your Side

To the landlords and Airbnb hosts of Cheltenham who strive to provide decent homes and a fair service, we, the Cheltenham Tenants Union, want to be clear: you have nothing to fear from us. In fact, we believe we can actively improve your business.

We understand that a tenant union might, at first glance, seem like an adversary. You might imagine us as a militant group, actively working against your interests. Let us disabuse you of that notion immediately.

Our primary goal is simple: to chase out the rogues. We aim to rein in the worst excesses of a minority of letting agents and landlords who give the entire industry a bad name. These are the individuals who extort tenants, neglect properties, and contribute to the desperate housing situation many in Cheltenham face.

We recognise that the vast majority of landlords in this town simply want to provide a good service to their tenants. You want to offer decent, safe, and comfortable homes without resorting to extortion or pushing people into destitution. You deserve to make a fair profit for your efforts, and we absolutely support that. When we say we want to leave only you in the market, we mean it. We want to help create an environment where good landlords thrive, and those who exploit the system are no longer able to operate.

For our Airbnb hosts, let's be equally clear. We have absolutely no problem with you letting out a spare room, or even your entire house during festival season, to make some extra money. That's a sensible and often beneficial way to utilise your property, and it can bring vital income into the local economy.

However, here’s where the line must be drawn: there is a housing crisis in Cheltenham. There simply aren't enough homes to go around as it is. In this context, the idea of houses being bought up en masse to operate as de facto "pop-up hotels" is a genuine concern. We cannot, in good conscience, stand by while homes that could house a family are taken off the long-term rental market, further exacerbating an already desperate situation.

Our mission is to advocate for fair, safe, and affordable housing for all. By working to improve standards across the board, by advocating for fair rents and decent living conditions, we believe we will ultimately create a more stable and attractive rental market for everyone – especially for those who are already doing right by their tenants.

So, if you are a good landlord or a responsible Airbnb host in Cheltenham, consider us an ally. We are not here to undermine your legitimate business, but to help create a healthier, more equitable housing landscape for all. Let's work together to make Cheltenham a better place to live, for both tenants and the landlords who genuinely care.

We're up against some well funded vested interests. Some of whom make large donations to the Cheltenham Liberal Democrat party who lead and dominate the local council. The same council that has powers to influence the rental market for the benefit of council taxpaying tenants.

Help us level the playing field by subscribing to the newsletter and or making a one off donation. https://buymeacoffee.com/cheltenhamtenantunion

We use the money to print and deliver leaflets to spread our message direct to the letter boxes of Cheltenham's rental population. The goal is to increase our lobbying strength by growing our numbers. The leaflets are simple and cheap but 5 000 cost £500 to print and deliver. We need 20 000 to reach every rented letterbox.