Digs closes early on day of Student Protest

Letting Agency Digs, which was to be picketed by students from Bristol over its supposedly unethical approach to providing decent student accommodation, shut early today in what seemed like anticipation of the protest.

The peaceful demonstration, consisting of around 30 students, was surprised when they found out that Digs had closed for the day before they even got there.

Nonetheless, the group went down to the Triangle to show solidarity with students who have complained at Digs’ lack of care over student accommodation.

The Tab spoke to Stephen Lefanu, Bristol SU’s Student Living Officer who organized the protest and was recently praised for rejecting all entries for the Student Accommodation Award, as none of the agencies were meeting the ‘urgent need of students’  for affordable accommodation.

Stephen told us that the protest was to highlight some of Digs’ unfair practices around poor student housing, the agency’s irresponsiveness, and its hidden and expensive fees.

“We came down today to invite them to again sign the ethical letting charter, which is quite a minimal set of standards, produced by community union ACORN, but we’ve come down today and it’s all shut up, so I guess that’s kind of a win for us.”

The Acorn charter can be found here.

Plans are underway for another demonstration outside Digs.

Stephen is hoping to meet the manager in person and present them with a ‘love letter’ listing complaints about Digs by previous residents.