Landlords in the lurch

Madam, – One wonders how many of your contributors sniping at smaller private landlords are public servants with generous pension…

Madam, – One wonders how many of your contributors sniping at smaller private landlords are public servants with generous pension entitlements? For those well insulated from economic reality it is difficult to understand that others in the private sector have to provide for themselves in retirement and private renting is believe it or not a legitimate business.

Perhaps The Irish Timesshould make it mandatory for economic contributors to the Letters page to state the nature of their employment – public or private? – Yours, etc,

GAVIN TOBIN,

Celbridge,

Co Kildare.

Madam, – I was so happy to read the letters from both Donal Chambers and Ciarán McKenna (January 28th). I particularly liked Mr Chambers's line that "homes should be for living in and not for making money from". I feel absolutely no pity for landlords. As we all rightly bemoan the state of the country I wonder if all of those people with more than one house look at themselves and realise the part they played in all of this. I think they are partly to blame. And The Irish Timescertainly fuelled that property greed. – Yours, etc,

AILISH LARKIN,

Thomond Road,

Thurles,

Co Tipperary.