Property management bosses have promised to meet residents of an Arbroath estate at the “earliest date” after being landed with a petition in protest against charges for the upkeep of ground around their homes.
The Clapham Wynd householders dug in against Life Property Management over a £138-a-year factoring charge for services which they have labelled not up to scratch.
Resident Elsie Sheppard, who organised the petition, said locals did not believe they were getting value for money.
She said: “Drains are full of mud and cut grass is just left.
“There are broken shrubs all over the place and car parks are full of weeds, but when we have raised this we’ve been told that we’re not on the map.
“The charge is a lot of money for many people, especially when they seem to do nothing for it, and it’s a huge amount when you total up £138 for every house.”
The street is part of a Stewart Milne Homes development on the north eastern edge of Arbroath.
The management company said it prided itself on developing and maintaining honest and transparent relationships with clients and was concerned to hear the homeowners at Clapham Wynd are unhappy.
It also said residents were not being charged for maintenance of a play park which has still to be constructed, meaning the actual cost for 2018 was more than £30 lower than the £138 rate.
A company spokesperson said: “Our remit is to manage the development for and on behalf of the homeowners and if there is a concern over any aspect of the services provided we ensure it is addressed immediately.
“Had the homeowners of Clapham Wynd raised their issues directly with us, we would have engaged with them accordingly.
“In large developments of this type, all homeowners contribute to the maintenance across the whole development. The issue here appears to be that the homeowners residing in an area of the development not as yet completed by the developer do not realise they are legally responsible for their equal share of the maintenance costs across the whole of the development, irrespective of their location.
“The sum quoted of £138 is an estimated annual service charge budget, which currently includes a cost for play park maintenance. The 2018 actual cost of £105 reflected this position, as there were no play park charges applied.”
