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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 20 September 2007

Disgrace of B & B expense

• I READ your article on the Holly Lodge estate in Highgate (Will jewel in the crown estate end up in the shop window? September 13).
My own opinion it is an absolute disgrace that people are being housed in B&B accommodation at ridiculous expense while such accommodation is left to lie empty.
The problem of central government not releasing funds to update and improve all forms of housing does not only lie with council tenants.
My own experience as a housing group tenant is of a ridiculous level of disrepair.
It seems the most sensible thing in the world to update all social housing with respect to safety and especially space energy and heating systems without the internal marketisation that is being employed as well as without arms-length management organisations and housing association buy-outs.
In particular replacing and improving heating systems could reduce the risk of the disabled, elderly and those with young children for whom heating is more important for health and who could be more at risk from aging heating systems.
This would be cheaper in maintenance costs in the long-term as well as improving tenants health.
You may well be aware at present of the problems involved in proposed legal aid provision.
This could affect claims involving disrepair as well as those seeking assistance in defending themselves regarding immigration and community care cases.
You will be very glad to know that I have approached my housing group on this subject asking them to contact tenants’ groups and local media to call up the campaign.
I await reply from my own housing group.
STUART BLACK
Address supplied

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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