BBC News
BBC“I paid my mortgage 10 years ago, I thought I was debt -free and now this ended up with me – it is a nightmare,” says tenant Diane Cleveland.
She is one of almost 100 homeowners on a southeastern London estate with an invoice of £ 21,000 from her Freeholder, Greenwich Council, compared to the replacement of roofs.
Some tenants believe that the work is unnecessary, while others say that they have to pay excessive amounts to cover the maintenance work in the neighboring properties of the neighboring council.
A spokesman for the council said that all residents have safe houses and that their costs include additional factors such as management and insurance, which may explain higher quotes.
The Council says that the renovation program of 430 million GBP is required to meet its responsibility as a landlord for its tenants at Middle Park Estate in Eltham.
However, tenants said BBC London that they would like to see more evidence of how the price for the work was determined because they feel that they pay far too much for repairs for repairs for the council objects.
The real estate consist of houses that are divided into two to four maisonettes, with tenants and councilors sometimes share a roof.
Karolis Arlauskas, a building specialist and tenant on the property, says that his roof is in good condition and only requires a few maintenance.
Nevertheless, the Greenwich Council was informed that it must be completely replaced.
“The disease is pretty good for the age of the roof. It has to do a little TLC expectation work, but it will survive for several decades,” says Arlauskas.
There are two other tenants on the ground floor on which he lives, and two councilors mentioned above.
He says he received quotes for the work that are charged by the Council at half a price, which has set the costs at £ 71,000.
“I have no idea how they got there,” he said, “they can't charge so much for this type of roof.”
Mr. Arlauskas claims that the tenant of 21,000 GBP, for whom he is liable, is twice as high as the market set.
The homeowners have received some options on how to pay the repairs, including an interest -free repayment plan over the next eight years.
Ms. Cleveland says this option would put a lot of strain on this option.
“I don't know if I can. Too. [have] It is almost impossible to spend another 200 pounds from a pension, ”she says.
Other homeowners are also concerned that they are overloaded to repair the council.
Ashlin Green, another rent owner, says that the cost of repairs the roof in the council's capital repair program seems to finance other projects.
It is also liable for more than £ 21,000 for part of the work.
According to Ms. Green, the entire project is “human”, with new windows being installed on a different estate, and the renovation of kitchen and bathrooms for tenants of the council.
“I think it looks like money for the roofs, which corresponds to an overload of 11,000 GBP per rent owner that finance other projects that are part of this massive contract,” she adds.
The residents have applied for legal advice, but was announced that they would need a specialist for a specialist to combat the indictment, which costs more than £ 50,000.
The tenants who spoke to the BBC stated that they were also unhappy that they were issued a standard template letter that apparently does not show any personalization whether their roofs needed repair work or not.
It is assumed that the council has told the residents that each roof will be rated again before the start of the work.
The work is carried out under a message from Section 20 with an approved list of suppliers and contractors.
Another resident who should not be named says when he asked the indictment with the council, they were encountered with a non -helpful answer. Only the “This is worth for money” and no access to the offer
They say they feel “bullied and robbed” by the Greenwich Council.
Council member Charlie Davis, the deputy chair of the opposition of the Greenwich Council, says that the authority must “explain the costs of the proposed works”.
“The residents have the right to check charges that were given to them by the council, and I think the advice should have an open approach for it,” he adds.
The spokesman for the Greenwich Council says: “We want all residents to have access to a safe and safe home that meets their needs.
“The costs of our contractors include important factors such as management, social assistance, insurance and other expenses. Therefore, the quotes of the residents may not be directly comparable to that of the council.
“Until a new legislation is passed, the Council must ensure that it fulfills his responsibility as a landlord to ensure that the work is rejected well and with a minimal disorder of all residents and at the same time follows health and security guidelines.”
Sebastian O'Kelly, director of the Lease know -asching partnership, who gives advice, says that residents should defend themselves against the council.
He suggests that the residents need a volume knife to estimate the work and give a professional testimony.
“It was probably never a good idea to mix social and private property in the same block, but it happened, and tenants have to be treated fairly,” added O'Kelly.