An estate agency in Aberdeen called in the police after protesters gathered outside its offices to demand £30,000 in compensation for a former tenant who had reportedly lived in a severely damaged flat for two years.
The demonstration, organized by campaign group Living Rent, took place at Northwood Lettings offices in both Aberdeen and Edinburgh, highlighting alleged neglect of rental properties.
Aishat Muhammad, 48, lived with her daughter and grandson in the three-bedroom flat while it was managed by Northwood Lettings. The property suffered sustained water damage, with leaks affecting several rooms. Problems began in December 2023, when heavy rains caused serious leakage from the roof.
Ashot first reported the problem to Northwood Lettings in December 2023, but repairs were not made until November 2025. As of January 2026, mold still remained in the master bedroom, and the freshly plastered walls had not yet been painted.
During protests at both the Aberdeen and Edinburgh offices, small groups of around five protesters entered the branches to request a meeting about Aishat’s position. In Edinburgh, protesters were reportedly able to speak to branch director Stuart Miller, who explained that as a franchise, the office cannot interfere in matters managed by other branches.
However, at the Aberdeen Rosemount Place office, Living Rent said staff refused to engage with protesters or Aishat before calling the police. The protesters left the premises after officers arrived.
Northwood Aberdeen owners Steven Mearns, Laura Mearns and director Matthew Pullinger have not met with Ashett to discuss compensation with landlord Mark Goldsworthy. Living Rent said the cross-city protests were necessary due to Northwood’s failure to accept responsibility, despite two previous demonstrations at the Aberdeen office.
In February 2026, Aishat and her family were evicted from the flat after Goldsworthy decided to sell the property. Since then, Northwood Lettings has ceased communication stating that any further responsibility rests with the landlord.
Aishat is demanding a total of £30,000 in compensation from Northwood and Goldsworthy, calculated as the full refund of 23 months of tenancy during which she paid the full monthly rent of £900 despite unsuitable conditions and £9,300 as compensation for the distress experienced by her and her family.
Lee Matthews, Living Rent Aberdeen Community Organizer, told the press: “On behalf of Northwood Aberdeen calling the police is outrageous. Instead of sitting together they have stoned Aishat and this action of escalating tension towards us is completely unnecessary. We just want to meet with Steve, Laura and Matthews and see accountability for the complete neglect of our tenant.
“This kind of behavior towards tenants is completely unacceptable. Landlords and letting agencies cannot be allowed to get away with this kind of behavior. No one deserves to live in homes that have leaking water or mold growing on the walls. This has had a huge impact on Aishat and her family.
“The issue of two years of disrepair remains unresolved and we hold Northwood responsible for this as the contracted letting agency for that period. Despite repeated attempts by Ashot to raise these concerns, the seriousness of this situation has never been properly acknowledged.”
A Northwood spokesperson released this statement to Mediator: “Protesters claiming to be from Living Rent broke into our Rosemount office on Thursday afternoon and began taking photographs and videos of our employees, who were obviously anxious and feeling intimidated.
“While we respect the right of groups and individuals to peacefully protest, Northwood has a moral and legal duty to protect our employees and ensure their safety at all times.”