|
|
 |
| |
From left: Leaseholders John Hearn, Pat Hearn, Andrew
Dow, Dennis Denton, Linda Dyer and Tony Dyer |
Nervous
wait over bill for homeowners
HOMEOWNERS face an anxious wait to see how much they will
pay towards a £550,000 bill for improvements to their
council-managed estate.
Builders have been working on the Kingsland estate in Broxwood
Way, Primrose Hill, for eight months, fixing walkways, balconies
and paved areas at the two-storey blocks.
But 21 leaseholders, the owners of former council flats, say
their share of the cost of improvements – estimated at
£130-140,000 or between £6,000 and £9,000
per flat – is too much and includes work they are not responsible
for.
On Thursday they took their claim to a leaseholders’ valuation
tribunal, which will judge whether the bill is fair.
Homeowners and tenants first heard about the project after the
council’s housing department mistakenly sent a bill to
each flat asking for £5,500 payment before any work was
done.
Insurance broker Andrew Dow, one of the leaseholders, told the
tribunal that the £550,000 bill was “unreasonable”.
He said it was out of proportion for the council to charge £50,000
for managing the project.
He also pointed to an “error” that saw a £12,000
estimate for insulating a cavity wall rise to £67,000
by the time the final bill was sent.
He added: “This is not a question of can’t pay, won’t
pay. We believe the costs are unreasonable.”
Representing the Town Hall, solicitor Emma Howells said leaseholders
were lucky that the management charge was only £50,000.
She added: “We have done everything we could have done
to keep costs for the project low. We have to cover our costs.
We should not have to pay running costs for leaseholders’
properties.
“Ten per cent is actually a very low figure and £50,000
is nothing in London.”
Ms Howells added that the council will “charge even more”
when a new computer system is introduced.
A tribunal decision is expected within a month. |
|
|
|
