We need to wake up and smell the coffee!
It is easy in life to think that you as one person can make little difference – wrong.
Shopping in B&Q for example!
You spend a few or a few hundred pounds on materials for your rented house – possibly one which has been wrecked by rogue tenants. You get to the counter and see B&Q have their little collection boxes just past the till for Shelter, an organisation which constantly hammers landlords and seems to think we are the rogues. This is something we might have unthinkingly ignored.
Well the Landlords Alliance has now begun a campaign to shake us out of this apathy.
We should not give our money to organisations which support those whose mission seems to be to destroy our businesses and livelihoods; whose latest campaign is to get us to house tenants on benefits whether we like it or not, whether they can afford it or not, whether they make riskier tenants or not – whilst housing no-one themselves.
No. We need to wake up and smell the coffee.
So I for one, have withdrawn my custom from B&Q as of today.
I ask them to instead donate to a positive charity which they can be proud of supporting.
There are an estimated 2 million landlords in the UK who with their families and also the people who work for them and shop at B&Q have tremendous consumer power.
I urge other landlords to make the pledge today: ‘I will not shop at B&Q until they confirm they have stopped giving money to Shelter’.
The New Landlords Alliance is launched: Click Here
Comments
Have Your Say
Every day, landlords who want to influence policy and share real-world experience add their voice here. Your perspective helps keep the debate balanced.
Not a member yet? Join In Seconds
Login with
Previous Article
Fire door demand but not for everyone?Next Article
Is Shelter a charity?
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
10:04 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
I too will no longer buy from B&Q or Screwfix.
I’ve written to there CEO Veronique Laury ([email protected]) and the CEO of B&Q, Graham Bell ([email protected]) explaining to them why I am boycotting there businesses. I would every Landlord to do the same
Member Since February 2016 - Comments: 977 - Articles: 1
10:09 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 20/11/2018 – 09:52
Thanks for pointing out about Nationwide. Shocking!
I think it would be helpful if someone could design a general draft of a letter we all could adapt when writing to various Shelter’s institutional supporters, with clear facts what is fundamentally wrong with that so called ‘charity’. Thanks a lot in advance.
Member Since December 2013 - Comments: 52
10:09 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
Once we have preached to the converted – which is great – & I also will now avoid Kingfisher/B&Q/M&S – we need to get this message out wider and get support from everyone else. Until then the effect will be a drop in the ocean. B&Q wont notice any difference in their bottom line from a handful of landlords. We need to embarrass Shelter nationally about the contradiction in their advertising and mission statement versus the financial reality. If we show the wider world what a lie the whole thing is – we can have real impact. If even a small percentage of ordinary people boycott B&Q – they will notice that!
Member Since April 2015 - Comments: 468
10:22 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
If anyone, has direct email contacts to these organisations, it would be most helpful? Would probably make far more landlords raise complaints.
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
10:31 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Clint at 20/11/2018 – 10:22
see my post at 10:04 today
Member Since March 2015 - Comments: 1969 - Articles: 1
10:35 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by The Property Man at 20/11/2018 – 09:55
Don’t forget to cut up your TradePoint card and send that with the letter.
Member Since April 2015 - Comments: 468
10:42 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 20/11/2018 – 10:31
Thanks Gromit. Those emails are probably the most useful for me as I spend huge amounts purchasing mainly from B&Q for repair and refurbishment work. Will tell my contractors to purchase from Wickes from now on.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1020 - Articles: 47
10:47 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
No more purchases from B&Q/Screwfix for my properties.
Member Since May 2016 - Comments: 116
10:59 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by David Lester at 20/11/2018 – 09:43
I thought Screwfix was owned by B&Q?
Member Since April 2015 - Comments: 33
11:02 AM, 20th November 2018, About 7 years ago
Hi All
Here’s a copy of my email to Veronique Laury and Graham Bell
Please feel free to lift and send if you feel strongly about this
Dear Veronique,
Further to your support for the charity(sic) Shelter, who continue to attack and vilify Landlords, I have instructed the support team for our 28 properties and refurbishments to NOT use any of your companies in any way.
Supporting Shelter does not assist in providing homes to the homeless it merely glorifies their overpaid executives.
Kind regards,