Professor Michelle Norris:

Yes, absolutely. Obviously it is much more expensive to upgrade a house after it has become very run-down. What the commission suggested to resolve the issue was more use of cost rents. Rents would be linked to costs and then tenants who could not pay them would receive a subsidy like HAP. At the moment we have rents linked to income. They are affordable for tenants but they do not provide enough money for proper, ongoing maintenance. The local authorities are really in an impossible position in that regard.