The report on the changes in housing benefit (The Argus, December 19) leaves out an essential part, as reported in the latest newsletter of the Southern Private Landlords' Association (PO Box 2883, Brighton BN1 1PB), which makes the new regulations far less attractive to tenants.

Housing benefit payments will be made to tenants and allow eight weeks of non-payment of rent before action is taken.

This gives tenants, as I have seen it happen, time to spend their money elsewhere instead of paying rent.

It takes another four weeks to get possession through the courts and another four for the bailiffs to act. That is, altogether, 16 weeks.

Will Brighton and Hove City Council then reimburse landlords for the back rent? That is the crucial question.

If not, landlords will be reluctant to accept tenants on housing benefit, which will do homeless people no favours at all.

-H E Lobstein, Marine Parade, Brighton