On July 26 The Press reported plans to build student flats on the Mecca Bingo site. The only issue I have with this scheme is when Olympian Homes claimed this will help to ‘free up family homes ...currently used for student accommodation’.

Is he serious? A private landlord can easily fit four students into a three-bedroom ‘family’ home.

This year the average rent per student per room is £125 a week, which means the landlord will rake in £2000 per month in rent. What sort of family can pay that? These predominantly ex-council houses will never again be available for families until the council and government take steps to change the current situation.

End the ‘right to buy’, which is how these homes end up with private landlords. Refuse to allow any more HMO’s (houses of multiple occupancy) in the city. Re-introduce rent controls. And allow councils to start building family homes for rent again.

Don’t forget that the rent paid by students comes from student loans, 45 per cent of which are never repaid. So the £2000 per month going into landlord’s pocket is taxpayers money. Shouldn’t we have more say in where it goes?

David Lindsey, Dodsworth Avenue, York