Published: 27 July, 2012

• JEREMY Corbyn’s proposal to introduce a Private Member’s Bill to bring about regulation and rent controls in the private rental sector sounds like a good idea in the long term, but what about now (Trauma facing tenants forced to move out, July 27)?

There are thousands of people on the council housing waiting list who would be willing to go private, if only the landlords would accept housing benefit.

People are being forced out of their homes by private landlords increasing the rent or refusing to accept housing benefit because of the rent caps.

I am facing being made homeless because my new landlord has decided to turn the property into student-only accommodation, because he can get guaranteed rents without accepting housing benefit.

I understand we have many fine colleges and schools within our borough, and the students need accommodation.

But what about people like me?

I have discovered that a majority of private landlords have adopted the policy of student-only accommodation.

The council should initiate a scheme where private landlords are encouraged to accept people on housing benefit instead of forcing people to leave the borough.

S UNDERWOOD
N7

• I WAS pleased to hear that Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn is campaigning to reintroduce rent controls.

As the Tories are always telling us how important it is to cut public spending, they ought to be the first to support such a measure.

After all, inflated rents imposed on the low-paid and jobless by private landlords are largely responsible for the huge sums spent on housing benefit.

But don’t expect a change of heart from the Tories. It was a Conservative government that abolished rent controls in the first place.

ROGER TIDY
Lloyd Baker Street, WC1