Paul Nudds appears to have got his sums wrong (News Shopper, June 4). The council’s success in cutting rent arrears in the borough still leaves us with dues of £7.7m. This represents an average of more than £500 per person, not £5,000 as Mr Nudds suggests.
That said, I would not want your readers to believe the council is complacent about rent arrears. We are taking action on a number of fronts. Reducing arrears means more money for services and housing improvements. It also means less stress for tenants through the worries and hassle brought on by debt.
Through regular publicity campaigns the council will continue to make sure tenants are reminded of the importance of paying their rent on time. And to help people avoid getting into arrears in the first place, we are setting up a debt-management service.
We also take a tough line where appropriate. Last year we evicted 161 people for arrears.
However, eviction is a last resort. The council believes it is better to keep people in their homes and work with them to pay their debts and manage their finances more effectively.
News that arrears have fallen by £500,000 shows this twin-track approach is successful.
Councillor Terry Hales Cabinet member for tenancy services Greenwich Council
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