We aim to allow renters to seize back power from landlords and build a movement. Our strength against the property-owning class is that we massively outnumber them. To maximise the impact of our numbers we need to be organised effectively. Direct action makes it harder for landlords and letting agents to exploit and mistreat us.
Actions
By daring to be confrontational and organised we use direct action to stand up for our members’ rights and challenge power structures on our terms, using our strengths. These actions include:
- Eviction defences — Preventing people from being removed from their homes using our strength in numbers
- Targeting rogue estate agents — Protesting, picketing and generally making a nuisance at rogue estate agents to make their work more difficult until they meet our demands
- Council campaigns — Longer-term projects will focus on winning legislative change from the council to better protect renters in Oxford
Recruitment
Through regular face-to-face conversations we can discuss how becoming one of our members can serve everyone.
- Door knocking — We want to knock the doors of all 17,000 rented homes in Oxford to hear your problems and explain how they can be taken on by joining our union. Deep, slow political organising like regular door-knocking is an essential part of our organisation’s strategy because we want to constantly map what the most important issues are for tenants in Oxford
- Community events — Hosting events like street parties builds solidarity in our communities giving strength to the idea that we can fight back alongside our neighbours for wins
Getting involved
- Meetings — All members are encouraged to attend our monthly meetings where anyone can bring the problems they are having with their housing, advice can be shared and working groups can be formed
- Political Education — We hold regular training sessions on renters rights and how to fight back, as well as on how the housing crisis fits into the wider problems in our increasingly stratified society
- Socials — Organising should be fun! Frequent socials will feature food, song and dance to strengthen our union and share joy in our work
Why do we operate on a dues model?
We ask that our members pay us a monthly fee. This allows us to support each other in direct action campaigns with financial autonomy – we are accountable to our members and not to any external funders.
The dues we collect fund the costs of hosting our monthly meetings, including venue hire and provision of food, our communications such as running this website, and resources for our actions.
We are not a charity or a service. We want all of our members to be actively involved – this organisation belongs to all of us. It is important that we, as members, are committed to paying dues so that we can demonstrate solidarity with other members when they need it the most.