Private landlords arent all bad

We work closely with many landlords and, yes, as Karen Buck said in her article (28 January, page 16), their rents are higher than social housing. But often their investment is at greater risk because the accommodation is regarded as transitory.

A council with abandoned properties can hold the debt on record for years. A private landlord, however, must forget the debt (or collect the small amount a bond scheme like ours covers).

I am just as disturbed as Karen Buck that authority homes sold under right to buy are, in a relatively short time, being rented out by people as a business. But in a free society, people can do this.

As well as those forced into renting privately because they cannot access social housing, many people choose, for a variety of reasons, to live in the private sector. They may feel there’s a stigma attached to social housing, or opt to stay closer to family in an area of high-demand social housing.

By all means, look at value for money (is the new housing benefit legislation not going to do that?); increase social housing (though new build does not feature in the article); and ensure people are aware of options and the advantages of social housing over private renting. But let’s not deny choice or offend the landlords who are often at the cutting edge of housing the vulnerable, the socially excluded and, sometimes, those social housing does not want.

Sharon Betton, landlord support worker The Bond Board