An agent is using social media to help homeless ex-service personnel move into empty properties free of charge - and he wants other estate agents to do the same.
Paul Banning, who runs Belle Vue Estates Property Management in Gateshead, saw on social media that some army veterans were living on the streets so wrote a Facebook post offering help to ex-service personnel.
His Facebook posting read: "I have a number of empty properties in the north east [of England], any ex-service personnel living on the streets or need a roof over their heads please contact me asap and you can have the keys with no fees."
He says the response has been unbelievable and he is now meeting charities to coordinate the renovation of up to 27 properties to make them habitable for the ex-veterans.
Now he wants other estate agents around the country to help.
"There are genuinely people who haven't anywhere to go. [These are] ex-servicemen, through no fault of their own, are coming out of the military with illnesses, whatever they may, and are finding it hard to get back into Civvy Street. I'm going to do my best to try to help them."
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What a fantastic story. Hats off to Paul Banning and Belle Vue Estates!
Indeed. Very good to read. We don't get to hear about many acts of kindness from within the property industry - Agents do Charity aside - so this should be shouted about from the rooftops. Congratulations to all involved and other agents should follow suit. If more of these empty properties were actually put to use, we might not be in the mess we currently are when it comes to housing.
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