IN response to Tom Stirling's report about Sarah Warriner's overcrowded home ('System has failed us say family', August 31), it's a fact that because of the sale of council houses and the dwindling housing stock, cases such as this will arise.

The problem is one of the Government's failure to slow down council house sales. More and more stock is lost to the private sector, and developers only seem to want to build expensive housing.

No one seems to be interested in housing families, it's just blocks of flats.

Unless Tony Blair starts listening to our council about York's housing problems that family, and many others, face a bleak future.

No one should be able to buy a council house and make money on its resale. This must be stopped.

If someone wants to buy a house let them pay full market value. Council homes are for those in need. When our housing waiting list is bereft of houses then right-to-buy can be considered again.

Keith Chapman,

Custance Walk,

St Benedict Road,

Nunnery Lane,

York.

Updated: 11:19 Wednesday, September 07, 2005