SIR - With the amount of shops becoming empty, is it the landlords getting greedy and asking for rents that the businesses can't afford?

It's a bit concerning when a major supermarket has to pull out of town, because of the rent increase.

You just can't turn all these empty shops into charity shops, there are already enough of those and they must be taking business from each other.

There should be an independent arbitrator to fix a fair rent for businesses and homes and money should to towards social housing being built. They should stop these people who buy to let - they are putting up the price of houses and then they put up the rents to cover the mortgage plus more to cover their greed.

I see in the paper these houses to let are becoming more and more each week.

So there should be an arbitrator who decides a fair rent and stops these people who are buying to let. This will give the youngsters a chance to get on the property ladder.

JOHN SHEARON, Worcester.