Sub-letting anger

SIR – Barely a week goes by when papers like yours don t tell us about families struggling to find suitable council accommodation at a time when lists are long and councils are dealing with cutbacks in spending. Why then, does St Albans Council not take a

SIR - Barely a week goes by when papers like yours don't tell us about families struggling to find suitable council accommodation at a time when lists are long and councils are dealing with cutbacks in spending.

Why then, does St Albans Council not take action against sub-letting?

Over the past five years I (and others) have reported a case of a woman who rents a council property and who has lived very comfortably in a private house with her partner and children but no action has been taken.

In fact, even though the authorities were aware four years ago that she had been sub-letting they have re-housed her elsewhere in the district and her children have entered a school close to her private house which is in its catchment area.

How difficult is it to prevent such clear abuse and why should it take over five years for the council to act when, in cases like this, there can also be abuse of other benefits too?

I think it is a sign of a healthy society that we support those in need, but if this is one example of how St Albans Council manage our finances, it is no surprise that we face housing shortages and cutbacks in services.

Perhaps our council representatives might like to respond?

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