I FEEL sorry for everyone, including James Alexander, who cannot get on the ladder with their own home.

I don’t know which government was in power when they stupidly allowed the income of the wife or partner into consideration of a mortgage, when the sensible norm was one income and up to three times their annual salary?

The price of houses doubled in York fairly quickly, with the winners being the building societies, banks and estate agents, who were all rubbing their hands in glee.

This has to be one of the greatest social disasters in the past 25 years and the Labour government, under their control, insisting developers build social housing among luxury properties has also done so much damage.

Houses are not ridiculously expensive to build; it’s the land value. Close friends have built several large houses at reasonable cost in York.

A seriously broken society has now been created where worn-out grandparents are having to bring up mortgage children as both parents have to work.

Surely City of York Council have enough land to be able to build new well-designed suitable first time buyer houses, or replace some of their extensive tired assets?

Keith Massey, Bishopthorpe, York.