In response to your article "Fears at threat to boutique shopping" (The Argus, February 21), as proprietors of Affinity, one of the shops mentioned in the article, we would like to add that although the high rents are a significant factor in forcing small shops out of business, there are other reasons which make it impossible for the independents to survive.

One of the biggest reasons is the commercial leasing system.

Unlike residential leasing, where the landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the property, when you take on the lease of a commercial building, the landlord has no obligations.

Full responsibility for the repair and maintenance falls to the tenant for the term of the lease.

As the majority of the buildings in the North Laine are more than a hundred years old, this can amount to thousands of pounds.

At the end of the lease, the landlord can serve the tenant with a schedule of dilapidations which could cost as much as £40,000.

One of the other conditions of taking on a lease is if the tenant wants to relocate or is struggling to keep going. It is their responsibility to assign the lease in what can be a long and complicated business (like selling a house) that can incur high fees and ultimately not result in a transfer if the prospective "buyer" pulls out at the last minute - something which happened to us a number of times past year - so the tenant is left in an impossible position.

One last course of action is to "surrender" the lease. But this, again, is at the discretion of the landlord and can involve a large sum of money.

On top of that, there are hidden extra costs, such as electrical inspections, asbestos checks, music licence (for playing background music), not to mention the business rates, which are set to increase again in April, and having to buy bin bags from an independent waste collector so they can collect your commercial rubbish (which is not included in your business rates).

As well as the financial burden, there are the megastores which are literally selling everything under one roof and at prices independents cannot compete with. Then there's 24-hour shopping on the internet.

Also, while the North Laine is a busy area, it has been over-hyped to give the false impression it is a wealthy area and the shops must be raking it in.

The truth is, the majority of the footfall is local people who don't earn London salaries and, of course, students. The rents for commercial properties should reflect this.

Most small traders know they're not going to make a fortune but they do need to make a living.

In order for them to survive, especially during slow trading years like 2004 (as widely reported in the press), landlords need to take responsibility for their own buildings so they are not a burden on the struggling tenant.

They also need to be more understanding and flexible instead of increasing the rent regardless of the economic climate.

We traded in Sydney Street for nearly five years and heard comments from customers about how they loved the North Laine area and the unique shops which made Brighton different from other towns and cities and how they liked the individual service and attention rather than just being a number in a long queue.

The sad reality is that if something isn't done about the commercial leasing system in general and the high rents in particular, there will continue to be a very high turnover of shops and North Laine will end up being just another bland and boring area full of multiples (as they are the only ones who can afford it), instead of the unique and vibrant place it should be.

-Dawn Johnson and Shirley Logan (Affinity), Woodingdean, Brighton