RESIDENTS of the Thornberry area of Ligoniel are questioning an ‘excessive’ maintenance charge for work they believe is not being done adequately.
The maintenance is carried out by Brackenwood Property and Estate Management- based in Ballyclare and Coleraine.
However, an ongoing dispute which has been running for over two years has taken a twist with some homeowners having received court orders in the mouth of Christmas demanding the fee of £110 per year is paid or they willl appear in court in January.
One resident, Magdalena Bisewska, says she would rather give the money to charity.
“This started two years ago when a lot of residents in Thornberry started receiving letters and invoices.
“The agent wants to charge £110 per year. It doesn’t sound like much but if you multiply it by 146 houses and four apartments, it is over £16,000 per year
“For doing what? I would rather give it to charity.
“The issue is not that we have to pay the service charge but it is about how fair and justified it is.
“Basically, the charge covers grass areas and maintaining alleyways around the area but the reality is we are getting a poor service.
“We are all homeowners. This is on top of everything else we have to pay.
“We want value for money so that the fees are fair and reflect any work done in the area and we want a company that is actually going to provide a service.
“I have been fighting this for over two years. I am getting a bit fed up but I won’t give up.”
Fellow resident Ciaran McCrea has not received his court order yet but says he will not be paying the annual fee.
“We, as residents feel we are not getting value for money from this company
“They refuse meetings with us and are now threatening residents with court letters in the mouth of Christmas. They are just trying to bully us and frighten people with court letters to pay up.
“Some residents are paying it just for convenience but I won’t be.”
Local Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy, who has been working with the residents, said: “The problem with companies like this is there is no governing body to scrutinise what they do. It is such a grey area.
“Residents just got letters demanding this annual fee, The company was set up in 2004 yet no letters or contact with the company until two years ago in 2017.
“Magdalena got a court summons. Ciaran didn’t. They are probably cherrypicking people to see how far they can get. This management company is supposed to act on their behalf but large fees are expected to be paid and now in the mouth of Christmas some residents are facing small claims court action. It’s not on.
“We have asked the council to look into this practice to ensure new homeowners don’t have to face similar problems going forward and to explore the possibility of having someone who can offer advice to homeowners facing these issues if they arise.”
North Belfast SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon added: “For over two years residents in Thornberry have been raising genuine concerns to Brackenwood. For over one year I have also been raising concerns and asking questions on residents behalf; questions as to why this management company hasn’t fulfilled its basic obligation to hold an AGM in over two years despite numerous requests by residents?
“What service and value for money are residents getting for being charged such high annual fees?
“Why, after being served with a termination notice by the residents which is within their rights, this company continues to change extortionate fees?
“As recently as this week, I have also written to Brackenwood to ask why there has been an unprecedented flurry of activity in recent days and in the mouth of a court hearing on all of this?
“Residents deserve better. This is not just an issue in North Belfast, it is an issue right across the north, and when we get an Assembly back, the SDLP will be pushing for proper regulation of management agents and companies to protect residents from this type of behaviour”.
The North Belfast News has contacted Brackenwood Property and Estate Management but no response was issued at the time of going to press.