I am one of the last four remaining tenants of Denmark Road out of 17 tenants who have had to vacate their properties.

I'm sorry but I cannot allow Councillors Hamilton and John (The Argus, April 11) to take credit for the disbursement of the £1,500 per person from Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC).

No person from the council granted us that money. We fought for it. We informed the council in January 2003 of our disturbance payment entitlement (Land Compensation Act 1973) and also of our right to compensation for improvements. This was denied in writing.

I myself was told by my housing officer to seek legal advice on the matter. We did just that. We were informed by Brighton Housing Trust

of the 1973 Act and received a government booklet on the tenants' charter.

If the council had done its homework, the information listed above would have been made available to every tenant at the meeting held on November 19, 2002.

Also, The Argus should have been allowed access to the meeting but were refused by Councillors John and Carden. The reason for this action has not come to light.

The January issue of Portslade News states Coun John as helping with queries, removals and relocation costs. The Land Act 1973 was never mentioned to any tenant who has left their property by Coun John or any other council official.

We were informed we were to be assisted by using Housing Act Section 26 but that implies selling property to a third party. Registered Social Landlords Section 92, 1985, says the same. We have to vacate, not being able to return, hence the 1973 Act.

In The Argus (March 11), the same councillors were pushing the council to get compensation and I wrote condemning their action.

I think it is an insult to the tenants of Denmark Road for councillors to take praise for a matter they had no part in achieving. This law, our entitlement, was kept from us from the outset.

I must mention the only person to help us tenants in every way he could was Steve Collier. Everybody owes him a great deal of thanks for his effort.

Hopefully, this entire mess is nearing completion, with everyone concerned being given their rights accordingly and receiving disturbance payment and compensation.

The tenants of Denmark Road were expected to walk away quietly from this matter but the council overlooked the community spirit and tenacity to fight for our rights.

We have put the leading councillors of Portslade South in a corner through their own handling of this situation.

-H Forrest, Denmark Road, Portslade