Min Stack I'm with you all the way, except the "Sonny" bit I suppose!
B777 and 5 Miles, I too in the 80's was a victim of neg equity and was upset at that fact, but someone in the ops room reminded me that I had the choice to buy, nobody forced my hand into getting on the property ladder.
I have remembered that day ever since.
Eventually I bought myself out of the situation because of my excellent T&C's that had been fought hard for me by the Union in the past.
I'm not convinced of the unions job over the last few years however you can check my posts. I have been a rep too before you ask.
At the moment yours and my T&C's are going down the river every year it seems, so bear that in mind and fight to retain them as hard as possible if that means stopping AAVAs if asked to by the union then do it.
Not keeping hold of current T&C's means "in my opinion" having neg-eq for a long longer than I ever did.
Only my two pence worth. Now back to pay.