THE COUNCIL is facing a flood of claims after a tribunal found a tenant had been overcharged for maintenance work.

Rosana Muller, 33, has set a "benchmark" which many tenants from the Woolwich Common Estate may now follow.

At a tribunal hearing in August the leaseholder challenged Greenwich Council for sending her a service charge bill nearly two years late landlords cannot recover charges unless leaseholders are told about them within 18 months.

The council tried to charge Muller 21 months after work took place in a bid to recover money lost when a billing computer failed in August 2003.

The actual service charge, which was sent to the IT worker in February this year, also exceeded the estimate for the 2002/03 work by £460.

Last month the Leasehold and Valuation Tribunal (LVT) informed Mrs Muller she did not need to pay any more than the original estimate for the work.

The mother-of-one from Nightingale Vale, said: "I'm really very pleased with this outcome.

"They were charging me unlawfully and now I've set a benchmark for other tenants to come forward and not pay this money for 2002/3."

Tenant Sarah-Jane Miller, 28, also of Nightingale Vale, said: "Greenwich Council is taking our money illegally.

"Rosana's case has proven it is unlawful for them to take this money.

"I was also sent a bill in February and will be applying to the LVT to hear my case."

A spokesman for Greenwich Council said: "It is the leaseholder's right to go to the LVT and this decision does not set a precedent.

"Any leaseholder wishing to make the same case as Mrs Muller will have to make an application to the LVT and the panel will consider each case on its merits."

Other leaseholders on the estate have also been sent updated bills as the council catches up on a backlog caused by the computer failure.

Tory councillor Spencer Drury claims the council has lost more than £2m in 10 years by failing to bill leaseholders correctly.

He said: "This is just yet another illustration of council maladministration.

"Once again council tax payers look likely to pick up the bill."