W FEARN of Duffield is right to say powers-that-be should be offering tenants smaller accommodation and only charging bedroom tax if they refuse the offer ("Bedroom tax – only if tenants refuse to move," April 28).
However, the smaller home should not be way out of the area, forcing people to leave family and friends and neighbours.
The reason tenants aren't offered one- or two-bedroomed properties is that there is an acute shortage.
Ministers know this only too well, and using the excuse that the scheme was brought in to free up larger council properties for the many people on long waiting lists is laughable.
It was brought in to reduce housing benefit and to say that under Labour, all tenants in private rented accommodation had to pay this tax is not strictly correct. Private tenants who received housing benefit only had to pay the tax if they moved into a bigger property with a spare bedroom.
The lack of smaller council properties will force some people into renting private accommodation, costing more and making the "spare room subsidy" counterproductive. It might even make the bringing back of rent controls an attractive proposition.
Jill Horobin
Carsington Crescent
Allestree