• YOUR article on the Genesis Housing Association and Notting Hill Housing Association’s proposed merger (Tenants unite to fight homes merger, August 24) makes shocking reading but the situation is much worse than that.

Most tenants will agree that, as their HA has expanded, initially they improved and then they got worse and worse.

The effect of size on efficiency is a classic “normal distribution curve” which has a maximum position. Both Genesis and Notting Hill seem to be ungovernable, and are way beyond the maximum point. The merger will produce nothing but harm for tenants.

Most will agree that we need house prices to come down by a very large amount. We may be heading for social unrest.

The second problem is that both HAs need to repay massive sums in 10 to 20 years’ time. These sums are backed by the value of our homes which may be about to decrease. Together bankruptcy seems almost assured.

The third problem is that the huge debt repayments are fuelling the policy of selling off social housing at auction. Genesis want Notting Hill in order to get hold of their properties for this purpose.

The fourth issue is the clear intention to become, like Northern Rock and RBS, “too big to fail”. As and when a failure is looming, it will become the government’s nightmare. The prime minister should note this and have a prepared solution.

Social housing is out of control and the government needs to hold a public inquiry before it all gets out of hand.

PETER RUTHERFORD
Independent Federation of Genesis Residents