I read with great concern the article entitled "Dead man's rent shock" (The Argus, January 19).

It is correct that, by law, tenants have to give a minimum of four weeks' notice when wishing to leave their properties.

However, when a tenant dies, it is most unreasonable for a local authority to expect the bereaved family to continue to pay the rent until the four-week period has expired.

As a representative of more than 4,000 landlords in southern England, I would say that few, if any, of our members would insist on four weeks' rent being paid after the death of a tenant.

On the other hand, when Brighton and Hove City Council offers accommodation to a potential tenant in one of its properties, it insists that if the tenant wishes to take up the tenancy, they have to start paying rent within seven days of accepting the tenancy.

What this means, in effect, is the council's housing department is not only encouraging but often forcing tenants to leave their current properties without the tenant being able to give the legally required period of notice - namely four weeks.

Again, many landlords understand this position and often do not seek to enforce the four-week notice period.

However, the council, which clearly recognises the requirement, goes out of its way to ensure tenants who move into its own properties breach these regulations, simply because they cannot afford to pay rent on two properties at the same time.

Brighton and Hove City Council needs to learn about customer care and then act in the interests of its citizens.

-Mike Stimpson, chairman, Southern Private Landlords Association, Wellington House, Camden Street, Portslade