Camden New Journal - Letters: FLat

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Camden New Journal - Letters to the Editor
Published: 22 November 2007

Who needs to get a flat?

• I AGREE with Carol Carter, MD for Circle 33 Housing Association, that there may be properties that are unsuitable for social housing (Some properties are no longer viable for affordable rents, November 1).
Yet I find it hard to believe that one property in question falls into any of the categories that she outlines – difficult to heat, soundproof and keep damp free.
These properties have all recently had new fitted kitchens, bathrooms, all have gas heating and hot water, the fronts and the common areas have all been repainted during the summer.
Soundproofing is always going to be a problem in most types of period housing but hardboarding the floors and laying floor covering can make a great deal of improvement. I am sure there are people on the housing list who would be willing to overlook a noise problem to live in a two-bedroom maisonette with a roof garden in central London. There are families in this area [WC1] who carry out essential work and are paid less than the national wage but still need somewhere to live and bring up their children. They are not being helped by housing associations putting two-bedroom flats on the open market for £400 per week. They could pay the “affordable rent” but would be unable to pay rent fixed at private levels.
Perhaps it would be a better idea to offer flats in central London to local couples for “affordable rents” on the understanding that there is a problem with soundproofing and that they are willing to carry out reasonable repairs themselves, thus relieving housing associations of problems and helping to reduce the waiting list
NAME AND ADDRESS supplied, WC1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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