We need to help distressed mortgage holders

Now that we have become reluctant owners of a number of errant financial institutions, we are effectively the holders of a vast amount of deeds to peoples’ homes — in essence we have become landlords.

This is an opportunity for us to display greater consideration, understanding and leniency than many of the landlords at a previous time in our history.

Between 1997 and 2007 we tolerated or allowed to prevail, a gross distortion in the housing market, an area of crucial public concern.