Homeowners told they each face £45k bill for roof works

Leaseholders in a group of flats in Sutton Coldfield say they are facing mounting anxiety after being told they could be asked to contribute almost £45,000 each towards major roof replacement works.

Housing association Bromford has written to people in blocks in Woodfield Close and Bowlas Avenue in Four Oaks, setting out estimated costs for a scheme to replace existing flat roofs with pitched roofs.

Residents say they accept work is needed but have been left shocked by the scale of the projected bills, and are worried about what the costs could mean for their homes, finances and future plans.

Chris Roe, who has lived on the estate since 1981, said residents had known substantial works were being discussed, but were stunned when the latest figures arrived.

"When we saw the figure, it just knocked us over," he said.

"You can't just pluck £43,000 out of your back pocket."

Roe said the prospect of the bill had become a source of constant worry for many households.

"It's causing a lot of stress to people. There are a lot of people struggling under the mental side of it," he said.

The painter and decorator, who had been considering retirement, said the uncertainty was overshadowing plans for the future.

"I've brought two children up here. It's a community, a safe area to live in and it's part of our life," he said.

"I was recently thinking of retiring. We weren't thinking of moving at all."

His wife, Ros Roe, said leaseholders understood they were responsible for contributing towards major works under the terms of their leases, but described the size of the estimated charge as overwhelming.

"You get a letter through the door and we know we have to pay towards costs," she said.

"But to get an estimate through for nearly £45,000, you just don't know what to think.

"You look at this figure and think: how are we going to pay it? Nobody has got £45,000 put away in the bank."

She said concerns about the proposals were dominating daily life for many residents.

"All our conversation seems to be at the moment [are] how are we going to get through it, how are we going to pay it?" , she said.

Kate Holland, another leaseholder, said uncertainty over the final cost and how payments would be made was adding to residents' anxiety.

"The pressure is really getting to us at the moment," she said.

"It's not knowing the outcome, how much it's going to be, when we're going to have to pay it and how it might affect the sale of [our] properties."

Holland said residents feared the charges could affect the value and saleability of their homes.

"The other concern is if people can't afford to pay the cost of the roofs, it will be taken off the sale of their property," she said.

"They'll end up selling their property for less than they bought it for."

While residents said they did not object to the roofs being replaced, some questioned why leaseholders should face such large costs.

"I don't think any of us object to the roofing works being done," Holland said.

"I think it's more the way they've gone about it."

In a statement, Bromford said it understood leaseholders' concerns.

"The roofs on these blocks have reached the end of their life," a spokesperson said.

"We've been carrying out repairs for a number of years to keep them going, but an independent survey has recommended full replacement.

"As a landlord, we have a duty to keep our customers' homes safe and in good repair, and the condition of the roofs will only get worse if we leave them."

The housing association stressed that the figures issued to residents were estimates rather than final bills.

"The figures in our letter are estimates, not final bills," the spokesperson said.

"Bromford will pay for the work up front, and leaseholders won't be asked for their share until the work is finished and the final costs are known.

"We'll work with leaseholders individually about how they can pay, based on their own circumstances, and we'll keep talking to them directly as this progresses."

Some residents are now seeking legal advice and weighing up whether to take the dispute to a tribunal.

However, many say they are concerned that pursuing legal action could leave them facing additional costs on top of the roof charges.

For now, leaseholders say it is the uncertainty as much as the prospect of a bill approaching £45,000 that is causing sleepless nights, with many worried about what the costs could mean for their homes, their finances and their future.

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