Writing about the problems which he/his family are facing (including those inherent in existing legislation) with trying to sell their vacant inherited property (October 7), Francis Sammut says there should surely be “a better way for the many vacant properties to be sold. Surely, there’s got to be an easier way.”

But, of course, there is. Given the prevailing circumstances (a plethora of long vacant, unutilised properties, local heirs’ typical bitchiness with each other, blatantly unrealistic and speculative pricing in both the build/sale and rental sides of the property market, developers only interested in the speculative buy-bring, down-build and high rises crazes, rampant environmental damage in a land 17 miles by nine, etc.) the undoubtedly best solution is that the government, sooner rather than later, introduces a properly structured (that is, underwritten by a proper cadastre) property tax on such edifices.

The correspondent should join the rapidly increasing ranks of those who have long seen the light of day on this issue. Any other monkeying or pussyfooting with legislative touch-ups will only keep people like the correspondent in their present predicament.