MR D Thorpe should be congratulated for expressing his concerns in his recent letter in which he also exposes Two Rivers Housing as an uncaring landlord in allowing elderly people to live in such disgraceful conditions. As a pensioner and TRH tenant I fully endorse Mr Thorpe's views and concur with every word stated.

My wife and I, both pensioners, live in a bungalow that was built in the 1950s and we also endured some of the conditions described in Mr Thorpe's letter.

Our bungalow is extremely cold in winter and we have experienced wet walls and mould just the same as some of our neighbours have.

After constant complaints since taking on the tenancy TRH finally tried to do something about the problem. An independent survey carried out by a specialist firm in 2009 diagnosed the problem as bad condensation caused by extremely bad ventilation. Later on, during work to rectify the problem, fibreoptics were used to inspect the external wall cavity. The inspection of the wall cavity revealed that the attempt to inject insulation into the cavity had only been successful in some places and where there was no insulation cold spots had been created.

When heat generated in the bungalow touched the areas of cold spots extreme moisture was formed. This was a major problem and one of the root causes of such of the dwellings condition.

I was told by a TRH director that the problem concerning the cavity insulation could not be rectified as it would mean virtually tearing down the walls, however they would try to alleviate the problem.

Since 2009 TRH have replastered the bottom half of kitchen, bathroom and spare room with a gypsum-based compound and also installed a dri-master apparatus that continually circulates air throughout the building.

Although there is much improvement in the condition of my home the bungalow is still very cold in winter and mould, although less, is still a problem. I strongly believe that the running wet walls and mould experienced by pensioners in their old bungalows are caused through the same inherent fault that was discovered in mine.

The letter written by Mr J Coe, director of TRH, in response to Mr Thorp's letter is misleading and untrue and typical TRH corporate propaganda.

Mr Coe hasn't got a clue what is happening in TRH properties and rather than attempt to rectify real problems that exist in TRH dwellings would rather concentrate on his PR dogma.

Replacing a few clapped-out kitchens and stone age inefficient storage heaters are what landlords are supposed to do.

More effort should be made upgrading sub-standard antiquated properties that are running with wet and bringing them into line with the new millenium.

Most if not all TRH tenants when taking up their tenancy enter into an agreement forfeiting their right to have their rent assessed by a rent tribunal. Instead TRH can put up rents to whatever they deem fit. In 2011 pensioners living in one bedroomed properties like my own had a rent hike of £20 a calendar month. This year, 2012, the rent was increased almost by another £30 a calendar month – £50 in two years.

Mr Coe in his letter relates that TRH rents are 60 per cent of the market rate. That may be true where Mr Coe lives on the planet Zog, but it certainly doesn't count on this one. I have checked the local property market rate for one bedroom dwellings and the rents are virtually the same.

– Name and address supplied.