We need to wake up and smell the coffee!

We need to wake up and smell the coffee!

9:04 AM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago 88

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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So I for one, have withdrawn my custom from B&Q as of today.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


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Comments

TheMaluka

15:46 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dave Driver at 20/11/2018 - 15:29Remember that Toolstation will deliver any order over £10 free of charge. There is no need to use Screwfix.

Thomas Whitfield

16:07 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

I wanted to purchase a thermostat today that screwfix sell at a very good price. Went online and managed to purchase from another supplier at £1 cheaper than screwfix with free delivery!

Joe Armstrong

16:59 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by David Lester at 20/11/2018 - 09:43
Screwfix? Now did someone tell me they were a part of the B&Q giant? Or did I dream that?

Larry Sweeney

17:48 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

The Alliance has written to B and Q, to a Mr Lakin. The response we received was totally inadequate. We will shortly publish a list of alternative suppliers where Materials may be purchased .
We have written to M and S as well and have not yet received a response. Our members will in due course be informing Mr Rowe ,the CEO that we ,our families and friends will have nothing to do with M and S. For the avoidance of doubt we wish to make it clear , our reasons for avoiding any organisation with any ties to Shelter. This Housing Charity ,houses nobody. It is a £60M organisation with 1200 employees. Instead of providing housing, it attempts to frustrate landlords evicting bad tenants by claiming landlords are the problem.
Look at Shelter. Look at its accounts and activities. Look at what it sucks from Central Government.
Here is the worst part. The most disguisting bit.
The Landlords Alliance has called upon Shelter, time and again to act as guarantor for Housing benefit tenants. This would put these tenants on a par with employed tenants. Landlords take a commercial view. It is not discrimination, as Shelter like to suggest. Hate and the bad Landlord narrative . Yet the Alliance has Landlords all over the country ready to accept these tenants if Shelter did their bit.
Make no mistake, Shelter are the problem.
So to B and Q and M and S , I say this.
There are lots of great charities out there. Take your pick. It is your choice, but do not chose a tainted brand. Landlords up and down the land, ordinary decent hard working taxpayers, landlords with a property for their kids, perhaps to top up their pension, perhaps accidental landlords, or those who had to move for work, or those who inherited as well as portfolio landlords and professionals who make a living from providing accomodation, they all have had enough.
They will not be villified or bullied. Not by Shelter. New regime. B and Q , M and S , you are behind the curve. Explain to your shareholders how you are going to throw away a lucrative and loyal customer base.
It is no longer our problem, because we are out. It is your problem.

Laurie

19:25 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

I love B&Q and even spent a few wedding anniversaries in there - luckily my wife likes it as well!
Dammit, have to stop going there till they end their support for the free loaders at Shelter

Darlington Landlord

20:05 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Anyone who has more than a couple of properties could consider opening trade accounts with suppliers like Wolsely, Travis Perkins, Builder Centre, MKM, CEF, Howdens etc, You get a wider range of often better products and can help your tradespeople avoid becoming VAT registered. Personally I only use B&Q/Screwfix occasionally outside 8-5pm weekdays and will use Toolstation now.

Deb

20:09 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Neil Patterson at 20/11/2018 - 09:09
My choices have been narrowed down a bit. Homebase is closing in my home town, so without B&Q I'll only have one other option for a large DIY store.

John McKay

20:49 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Deborah Clare at 20/11/2018 - 20:09
Same here (maybe we live in the same town) but there are always options if you look around.

Gromit

21:12 PM, 20th November 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by John McKay at 20/11/2018 - 20:49
My preferred hardware store is a small independent it very rare that they don't have what I want, usually a choice of 3 or 4 variants, but they don't do kitchens or bathrooms. I'm also supporting small businesses.
Second choice is Homebase provided it survives the cull.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

8:36 AM, 22nd November 2018, About 5 years ago

Interesting article from Property Industry Eye found via FB today: https://www.propertyindustryeye.com/landlords-who-have-had-enough-of-being-bashed-to-organise-boycott-of-businesses-that-support-shelter/?fbclid=IwAR0UcPhtZd43WNGBDLFF1h0r-Bl5i3f80g0M-WVf-IH3sbZGf0VkAd3EShQ
Shelter is fighting back....
I hope the new NLA will respond accordingly!

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