Wishful thinking over housing

Sir  - Recent headlines on housing going to rise sharply by up to 21 per cent is wishful thinking.

The housing market is stagnated and it will be for years to come.

Thebuy to let down is the Achilles heel, the sector which thinks it can charge what it wants for ex-council houses built to house heroes who sacificed their lives, for our way off life, who fought for this country in two world wars to see their kids being ripped off by greedy banks governments and landlords who can't even provide a safe enviroment in which to live in, but charge the taxpayer £500 per month for a hovel.

There should be a mass building programme for social housing in this country to drive down house prices and rent and then put an end to employment agencies' ability to exploit workers in this country, where a local business gives an employment agency £10 per hour for labour which then passes on £6.50 and keeps the rest leaving the British taxpayer to top his wages back up through tax credits so he/she can live, then maybe we could afford to rent or buy.

Michael Conlon, School Walk, Maltby.