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Class war anarchists to target estate agent
Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Affairs Editor26.02.08
An estate agency in London is to be targeted by anarchists in a demonstration against inflated house prices.
Class War plans to picket Foxtons in Islington to draw attention to the way it claims agents are driving up property values.
Islington has been chosen because of its symbolic status as a former working class area that has been gentrified in recent decades, resulting in soaring house prices.
On its website, www.classwaruk.org, the group describes estate agents as "the greatest conmen of our time". It also urges supporters to tear down "sold" or "let" signs that have been put up illegally on council or private properties and send them back to the relevant agents' offices.
It says: "One very simple way to fight back against the damage estate agents are doing to our communities is simply to take these signs down wherever you find them. Don't let them advertise - illegally - overpriced properties in your community."
A spokesman for Foxtons said: "We are aware of the protest. We hope that if there is a demonstration it is not disruptive to our neighbours, pedestrians or customers."
Foxtons was founded by Jon Hunt in 1981 when he opened his first branch in Notting Hill before it was gentrified. He sold the business last year for £ 370million. The chain has been accused of using excessively aggressive tactics to earn commissions.
Sales agents are urged to "go to war" for their clients and the firm's dubious practices, such as faking landlords' signatures, were exposed in a BBC Whistleblower programme.
Reader views (1)
House prices directly affect the accessibility and availability of housing for everyone, but especially the working class - for them, particularly, the housing squeeze is increasing.
The social housing stock is decreasing whilst waiting lists increase. This inevitably leaves the options down to private rentals or owner occupation. However housing costs impact on rents, private rentals being considerably more expensive than social housing, and clearly purchase price puts most houses well out of reach for many people.
The trouble with Foxtons, and their ilk, is that they artificially inflate prices to increase their commissions. They also expand their operations into traditional working class areas, with their pricing policies, which further restricts housing availability for the working class.
We should all support Class War's picket at Foxtons, the target is justified.
- Watcyn Youd, uk
