Eviction fears

Published: 14 October, 2010

• YOUR article about the St Pancras rent strike under the Tory-run council comes just as the current Tory lot are slashing housing benefit, which will be even harder on people.

The capping of housing benefit will mean many people will have to move to cheaper accommodation in the outer parts of London, away from families, friends and schools, leading to a social cleansing of much of central London, since only the rich will be able to live there in future.

This will cause immense difficulties for the people involved, who are already under heavy financial pressure.

It will also put strain on these outer areas. They will have to cope with a sudden influx of tens of thousands of people, adding to the burdens already present there in terms of school places, hospital beds and social services.

It is true that rent subsidies are substantial, but that is because the house-price boom has pushed rents far beyond what anyone can afford.

Instead of burdening the poorer parts of society, the government should tax landlords and landowners and get property prices under some sort of control, using the revenues gained to build more affordable housing.

Perhaps a new rent strike might be an answer: only pay your landlord what the government gives you? This can change things, even if only after the Tories are kicked out.

Of course, as your article showed, this will be tough on those involved, with forcible eviction likely to happen to thousands.

And what do our Lib Dems think of these measures.

Are they happy to hit the poor and forcibly move them out of their homes, or don’t they care now they have their nice jobs?

DAVID REED
Eton Avenue, NW3