• I TOTALLY agree with a fair rent system for private renters even more so in this current housing crisis, (Protecting tenants makes financial sense, Forum, July 25).

Being a private renter for over 40 years I have witnessed the system failing first-hand for years. Prior to the changes brought about by the Labour government under Tony Blair the system was clearly failing tenants.

Decent local fair rent officers who assessed the fair rent, sticking to the Rent Act 1977, had their decisions regularly overturned by the Rent Assessment Panels and the tenants’ rents increased even further.

In practice the independent rent assessment panel in my experience was normally made up of one legal professional, one property professional and a lay member usually a legal/ property professional; all people, it could be argued, with a vested interest in the housing market and putting the tenant last.

If the tenant disagreed the only recourse was an appeal on a point of law to the Lords.

Then Blair brought in the current fair rent system which was stated at the time with the intention to increase the fair rents up to the full market level over a period of years, the total opposite of the fundamentals of the 1977 act by having a system with fixed percentage increases every year + the cost of increase in the Retail Price Index with no right to challenge.

Under this system my personal rent increased last year by nearly £60 a week.

The Labour government has the opportunity and the majority to put right the mistakes of the past and with public consultation to make a fair rent system fit for purpose in the 21st century; with fair rents and legal support for tenants to take up their cases with rogue landlords that refuse to carry out repairs and maintain their properties to an acceptable standard.

Please do not print my personal details for fear of further harassment from my landlord.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED, N1