A local authority has been accused of stealing Christmas from hundreds of people on a housing estate by hitting them with bills of more than £2,000 each to fix external water pipes.
Only two weeks before the big day, invoices were sent to 556 households.
Residents have been given just 28 days to pay a total of more than £1 million to repair and replace pipes running under their homes, and many fear they will not be able afford festive treats as a result.
The Langdon Hills estate in Basildon, Essex, has an unusual heating system. Houses and flats do not have boilers.
Instead, hot water and heating is provided by central boilers through pipes operated by Basildon Council.
Worry: Langdon Hills estate residents holding their bill.Only two weeks before Christmas invoices for £2,000 were sent to 556 households
These pipes needed major repairs, which were completed in April. Now families have been told they must pay up to £2,156 each — including a hefty admin fee of 5 per cent, or £102.
A discount of up to £33 is available to those who pay before the deadline of January 4.
Residents claim the council should not have issued the invoices at all due to an ongoing legal battle over who is responsible for the works.
They say the council failed to carry out proper maintenance work over the years, so should cover the cost of making good any deterioration.
The dispute is the latest in a growing trend for councils to make homeowners responsible for essential repair work to roads, walls, pipes and other publicly used facilities.
In August, Money Mail revealed that more than 100 residents in an Edinburgh flat block faced a £600,000 bill to replace a crumbling wall outside the building — even though they had no idea it was their responsibility.
Councillor for Basildon Westley Heights Kerry Smith says: 'I am chairman of housing at the council and I wasn't told about this.
'It is completely heartless. I've spoken to residents who don't think they will be able to have a turkey this Christmas because of these bills.
'Even Scrooge wouldn't think of sending them.'
Gill Blake, 64, chair of the residents' association, says: 'This shows how callous the council is. I've had hundreds of emails from residents — people just don't have £2,000.'
While 58-year-old resident Paul Starr adds that he already works overtime just to make ends meet.
The row dates back to March 2012, when residents received a letter from the council saying they would have to pay £3,000 for the repairs.
This has since been revised down and the association is now worried poor-quality work was done.
Deeds of houses on the estate say residents may have to contribute a fair proportion towards repairs, but do not mention 'replacement' works or situations where the council is accused of negligence.
'If the local authority has an obligation to maintain the water pipes and they have failed to do that promptly without good reason, then residents may have a claim for the additional costs,' says Mark Woloshak, principal lawyer at Slater and Gordon.
The council gave no payment options on the invoices.
'I am petrified people will feel so threatened into paying they will take out high-interest loans and get themselves into trouble,' says Councillor Smith. He has now called an emergency meeting with the council.
'If it were up to me I would just drop these costs, but at the very least the council needs to freeze these bills. We cannot take Christmas away from residents.'
Brian Young, who lives on the estate, wrote on the residents' association Facebook page: 'There is never a good time to receive a bill of this size, but landing just before Christmas just sums the council up.'
Basildon Council says residents will be sent letters about payment options soon, including a three-year, interest-free plan.
A spokesman says the council was not aware of a dispute over responsibility for the works, and adds: 'The property deeds should reflect that each freeholder is liable to pay for the expense of maintaining and repairing the water mains.
'Basildon Council recognises the cost of major works could cause financial difficulties and apologies that on this occasion letters detailing this were not sent out at the same time as invoices.'
Maintenance of your water/sewage system is your responsibility from the boundary of the property. This sort of thing is normal but you can insure against certain failure. Solicitors should have told tenants they had a liability for maintenance and certain repairs. Private home owners often have a responsibility to upkeep and repair their Parish Church but many don't realise it. Solicitors can arrange a simple cheap insurance for this to prevent the shock of receiving a bill for any amount the Church chooses to demand if the think need arises.
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