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Camden New Journal - Letters to the Editor
Published: 15 November 2007

Fears for England as a big slum

• NO political party wants to delve into the history of social housing and how it has come to its present parlous state of utter confusion and massive taxpayers’ expense.
I became a social housing tenant a long time ago following a series of unexpected events. Most of the time was in a lovely council property which was allowed to suffer serious disrepair and I lived with damp and black mould.
More recently I have been in a new housing association property which is well on the way to becoming a slum due, in some measure, to poor building but mainly caused by anti-social behaviour impacting on the fabric of the building and the safety and peace of other residents.
Letters to tenants have been ignored. Some of us have asked for CCTV in all common parts, but who would pay? If offenders are caught, how would they be prevented from continuing their unacceptable behaviour?.
The word on the street is council bad, housing association good.
I wish I believed that associations were accountable to the Housing Corporation, but it does not see itself as an enforcer of good practice.
Housing associations are accountable to no one.
Gordon Brown appears to have plans to cover England with affordable housing, which will include a substantial amount of social housing. In a race to get people housed, shoddy plans and workmanship are overlooked.
England could rapidly become one big slum.
BARBARA NEMETH
NW1

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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