For your information Richard, Russet homes gave an undertaking to us, the tenants, (not the government) that their rents would never rise by more than 2% above inflation, and they have stuck to that ever since.

As our rents in 2002 were on average £8 per week lower than those of the Council tenants in Chatham and Aylesford (the neighbouring authority) our housing association was forced, under strong protest, by that devious little shit Blair to add an extra £2 per week increase each year till 2005 to bring the rents level and prevent a Labour Council being shown up as inefficient.

Since we voted for the housing association, whole housing stock has been completely insulated, double glazed (windows & front and back doors) and we are on our second change to new condensing boilers. Also the outside walls and window frames have been redecorated every five years.

All within the promised rent structure and we are currently in the process of having kitchens and bathrooms modernised.

In the eighteen years before the housing association took over the stock, it had been decorated once, the kitchens and the ground floor only central heating were straight out of a 1960s catalogue of cheap and nasty fittings.

If that is the private enterprise you despise, I pity you for your lack of knowledge or understanding.

Don T.