After receiving a tip-off that a private accommodation block had the same cladding that led to the Grenfell fire disaster Newcastle members demanded that it be removed. After initially denying that it was the same flammable cladding the owners only came clean after ACORN raised awareness and support for the campaign by petitioning outside the block and going on the radio to expose them. Even then the owners said that the cladding was safe. Of course nobody was convinced by their explanations and disgusted by their disregard for the safety of their tenants ACORN members continued the public petitioning until they agreed to take it down.

A third of privately rented homes would fail the Decent Homes Standard and for years ACORN has used direct action to prevent revenge evictions and get repairs made to slum housing. Licensing of landlords provides some legal protection from eviction and extends council powers to inspect properties.

Within a few months of launching and beginning to organiser private tenants ACORN Bristol got the message loud and clear that we needed structural change as well as the direct action around evictions and living conditions that we were quickly becoming known for. The problem was, at that point we were a small community group in a single neighbourhood.