Sir, - Working between Ireland and the UK, I am stunned at the contrast in attitudes towards housing and finance. In Dublin housing is scarce and outrageously expensive. I have been offered my two-bedroomed ex-council flat in London's East End for all of £30,000 under the "Right to Buy" scheme.
I recently asked my AIB Bank in London if they would be interested in financing the purchase of my home only to be told that they could not finance such a small amount! The nice lady at my branch in EC2, however, assured me over the phone that I sounded happy and that was more important than earning the minimum £40,000 a year one must now earn to bank at this branch (I don't earn this amount) and that she would put me on the Christmas party list because I sounded interesting. Fantastic.
As in many other cases where I have needed financial assistance from AIB, I will look elsewhere. - Yours, etc., Ian McNicholl,
Corbin House, Bromley High Street, London €3.