Anger at bills being charged by council

Lewisham Council is currently improving five blocks on the Meadows Estate, Primrose Close, Sydenham.

This is to bring the council properties up to the Government's Decent Homes Standard.

The council can charge leaseholders who own homes in the blocks for the maintenance of the buildings.

As more work than expected has been needed on the blocks leaseholders' bills have gone up.

A petition against the bills signed by 25 leaseholders has already been submitted to the council.

They say if this does not work they plan to take the matter further.

Roger Mason, 56, said: "My bill has gone up from £13,000 to £22,000.

"The charges are excessive and I want to know what they are for.

"The council needs to justify the costs."

Dermot McKibben, 53, said: "We accept these works as they add value to our homes but if the council fails to reduce our bills we plan to take it to a tribunal."

The Leasehold Valuation Tribunal is an independent body which rules on disputes between landlords and leaseholders and has the power to cut unreasonable charges.

Work on the estate was supposed to finish in November but has now been put back to January 19.

The Government has set a target for councils to bring homes up to the Decent Homes Standard by 2010.

A "decent home" should be in good condition and have a modern bathroom and kitchen.

A council spokesman said: "The increase in charges on the Meadows Estate is due to underlying problems with the structure's building work.

"These problems could not have been detected or remedied through routine maintenance work and were only discovered after intrusive decent homes refurbishment work had begun."

He added: "The charges being made to the leaseholders at The Meadows estate have not been finalised as all charges amounting to more than £10,000 over a five-year period must go before a review panel.

"The panel has the power to reduce charges to a minimum of £10,000."