Top 5 Things Councillors Don't Do For Cheltenham's Renters. And One Priority To Reverse Rent Rises.

Gary Clarke

— 2 min read
Top 5 Things Councillors Don't Do For Cheltenham's Renters. And One Priority To Reverse Rent Rises.

What Cheltenham Borough Council Can Do — Right Now

(Despite what Cllr. Tooke says)

  1. Tackle Airbnb & Short-Term Lets First
    • Licence all short-term holiday lets.
    • Apply higher council tax to properties converted from residential use.
    • Push properties back into the long-term rental market to ease rent pressure.
  2. Take an Active Interest in the Rental Market
    • Track rents as a share of tenant income, not just absolute figures.
    • Cheltenham Tenant Union data shows: most renters spend 30–40% of income on rent, some 50%+ — far above the affordability threshold.
  3. Establish an Ethical Letting Agency
    • Use Cheltenham Borough Homes to offer fair rents, longer tenancies, and tenant support — proven to work in other towns.
  4. Implement Borough-Wide Landlord Licensing
    • Regular inspections and mandatory licensing for all landlords, not just HMOs, to raise standards and discourage exploitative rents.
  5. Bring Empty Homes Back Into Use
    • Enforce against long-term vacancies; incentivise or compel owners to rent them out.

Why Cllr. Tooke Should Know Better

  • He’s also County Councillor with the Business Portfolio — he’s responsible for economic policy and knows the impact of housing on the local economy.
  • We believe he does understand these powers — the issue is where his attention is focused.
  • The Liberal Democrats in Cheltenham have taken donations and hospitality from business and property-linked interests. That raises the question: whose priorities are really being served?

What Tenants Can Do

  • 35% of Cheltenham homes are rented — that’s almost 40,000 people.
  • Renters pay council tax. Renters vote.
  • Together, we can organise: lobby councillors, coordinate our votes, and put housing affordability at the top of the council’s agenda.
  • If the council won’t do the thinking for us, we can do it for them.

Call to Action – The Power of a Union

The only way to win real change is show them how many we are and what we can do when we come together and act together.

Step 1 – Build Our Numbers

  • A union’s strength is in its size. The more tenants we have, the louder our voice and the harder we are to ignore.
  • Complete our Tenant Surveys – tell us your experiences, your rent levels, and the changes you want to see.
Cheltenham Rent Survey
What Worries Tenants Most In Cheltenham

Step 2 – Organise for Action

  • We’ll use the results to push for the changes Cheltenham Borough Council can make right now.
  • We’ll coordinate our campaigns and voting power to put tenant needs on the political agenda.

Step 3 – Support the Movement

  • Every leaflet printed, every social media ad, and every lobbying action takes resources.
  • Donate here to strengthen Cheltenham Tenant Union:
Chip in to help build our strength in numbers
  • Or become a paying subscriber to this newsletter

Remember:

  • 35% of Cheltenham homes are rented — that’s almost 40,000 renters.
  • We pay council tax. We vote. We decide who represents us.
  • If the council won’t act, we will make them.

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