MY first reaction when seeing the Conservatives' proposal to sell off the council's housing stock was 'great' and I mentally started working out how much the reduction would be in my council tax.

Unfortunately, reality set in when it dawned on me that if £100 million was needed to refurbish the houses now, it would still be the same if they were handed over to a housing association, or any other group.

Presumably, being responsible landlords, they would still carry out the repairs and would almost certainly expect a handout from public funds.

Since a lot of tenants receive housing benefit this would still be paid, but to the private sector who would anticipate a profit and would in all likelihood increase rents to get one.

If people failed to pay their rent, they would rapidly be evicted and the council would have to provide them with accommodation in expensive private hostels.

I am sure the Conservatives considered these issues, so I feel sure they can reassure me that savings could be made.

One drastic solution that did occur to me was that if every existing tenant was given free and gratis their house, they would bear the cost of repair and, more importantly, future maintenance.

If they failed to look after their property and it became uninhabitable that would be their problem not the state's.

L LAWES, Bold Street, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.