Shelter again with latest TV advert!

Reply to the comment left by Peter Rachman at 31/03/2020 - 14:23
I gave them the benefit of doubts and paid my subscription the first year. They automatically taken it from my account for this year.
They have been incredibly quiet here. The latest from Twitter, 20 March: "We have a new CEO! Welcome to Robert Zysblat!"
Plus link to P118 Mark's article about Shelter (17 March). Could anyone give me any update what they are doing at the moment? Hard to find on their website. Thank you.

Extract of response from Shelter in response to complaint:
"Please be assured that the case study of the person featured on the advert is genuine and we wouldn’t want to rouse any anger or disgust against genuinely good landlords.
We were contacted by a junior doctor who had been asked to leave their property because the landlord was worried about contracting the virus. They live with their landlord. They contacted us via our advice services and we helped to advise them. We advised the doctor of their rights in this matter and what the law says. Many people have been calling us worried about being evicted and we are able to support them by letting them know what their legal position is and how they can respond to their landlord(s)".
So as noted on a previous comment, it relates to a Lodger but not clear that the doctor had actually been asked to move out.

"... it relates to a Lodger but not clear that the doctor had actually been asked to move out" - well, well, well. So why make it into a TV advert broadcasted nationwide in the prime TV time?

Reply to the comment left by Whiteskifreak Surrey at 31/03/2020 - 15:13Shelter will look to make mileage out of anything, including what's not justified.
They've even been found to 'stage' Tenant scenario's with Actors,
People who watch or support this Faux charity are being duped and the Advertising Standards are ignoring it. !

Reply to the comment left by Whiteskifreak Surrey at 31/03/2020 - 15:04
Ah, genuinely hope that I'm wrong, and apologies for being so flippant. It does look as though it's a change of ownership though, rather than just the appointment of a new CEO. The fact that there is no mention of this, and everythings gone quiet would worry me if I'd given them money. Although Larry may no longer have anything to do with it I still feel he owes an explanation of what's happening at least. This forum has been pointing people in their direction for some time as well so you would have thought the owners or mods would feel obligated to let you know as much as they do as well.

Larry has told me there will be an email to all paid members of the Alliance by the new CEO.

Reply to the comment left by Peter Rachman at 31/03/2020 - 14:23
The new CEO Robert Zysblat will be in touch with all members shortly. I remain a fully paid up member of the Alliance and Robert who is also a landlord has my full support. It would not be fair for me to undermine new management so rather than saying anymore we should await an announcement. What I can say however is that plans are afoot to take our organisation to a new level and more than ever landlords need very strong representation. Mortgage holidays are all well and good but the banks will come knocking and the arrears must be paid. How many landlords will recover arrears from tenants . The Alliance is needed now more than ever and it is not yet 2 yrs old. Lets await an announcement which i understand is due imminently.

I would just like to take the opportunity to reassure you all that Shelter did NOT deceive ANYBODY with this advert. The case is genuine. The reason I know this is because I know the parties involved. The junior doctor and his landlady. She is not elderly, and she is in very good health. Nor does she care for anybody. She also has another lodger who is not in the medical profession who she did not ask to leave. Her junior doctor tenant is a hospital doctor, and she thought she would catch the Coronavirus off him. She demanded he pack his bags immediately and move out. He did so. He was fortunate that the hospital helped him out with alternative accommodation eventually, as sleeping in his car was impractical, as was sleeping on colleagues’ sofas. The point of the advert, I think, was to highlight the level of fear that people have right now, and how desperate Shelter are for more advisers on their telephone helpline. Also to reassure people that if something similar happens to them, they can can turn to Shelter for legal advice. The landlady is not a nasty person, she was fearful for her health and for her life. We are living in frightening times, the council housing office is closed, even the Citizens Advice Bureau is closed. It is scary. You landlords can sleep safely in your beds, and come home from work, knowing that your home will still be there. Lodgers do not have the same certainty, when their landlady or landlord can order them to leave, and even use force to turf them out, throw their belongings out of the window, and if they called the police, would the police let them back in? Many lodgers don’t even have lodgers’ agreements!

If, in your opinion - "The point of the advert, I think, was to highlight the level of fear that people have right now, and how desperate Shelter are for more advisers on their telephone helpline. Also to reassure people that if something similar happens to them, they can can turn to Shelter for legal advice." - they completely missed that point. So did you. It is all against the private landlords, to vilify them. As before, as now, as in future. So sad, Shelter could do a lot more if they cooperated with the actual home providers. Because they are not one of them.

Reply to the comment left by Marie at 01/04/2020 - 12:44
Dear Marie,

As you are a lodger and know the parties involved in the Shelter advert please can I ask if you also work for Shelter and are able to give us an insight into their thinking.