• FURTHER to the letter (They seem to have gone crazy about regulations in my council flat, March 21), I live in a council, one-bedroom flat in Belsize Park.

The street door is directly opposite my flat door, with a small entrance between the two, and a flight of stairs leading to two other flats.

Two over-large and excessively bright lights have been installed in close proximity to each other, and to my flat door. Even one of these is more than bright enough. The glaring lights shine into my short corridor. Another of these is upstairs.

I sleep in the front room. During the night, if I wish to enter the bathroom, next to the bedroom door, I must crouch down, back and knees bent, in hope that I do not trigger them to suddenly blast me with light, which they tend to do anyway. I am a fugitive in my nightdress trying to escape searchlights and interrogation!

If when returning to bed I forget to close the bathroom door these lights shine through the silly window, high on the wall dividing the bedroom and bathroom. So I must get up again to close the bathroom door. Still, the light shines through the sides and bottom of the door even when dimmer. I am not sleeping well.

On the wall of the small entrance, No Smoking and Fire Regulation signs suddenly appeared. When approaching my door, first the search lights send forth their warning, and when I open the door I am confronted with the two signs – a reminder that I now live in an institution, and would appear to be under close observation.

I complained about the signs, that I do not live in a high-rise block. I was told that there were other people living in the house, and that they need to know what to do in the event of fire.

The neighbouring house with different occupants is private but they do not have such signs. Private owners must be more intelligent – and we must be stupid!

A loud fire alarm has been placed outside my door. The fire door, which I don’t want, is the next disruption. No longer a house – an institution!

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