A housing assocation’s accounting has caused the residents of a Letchworth sustainable housing development to be under-charged for maintenance for four years – and the bills have now been more than trebled to make up the difference.

The Comet: James Taylor, of Hartington Close in Letchworth, who has flagged up the massive rise in the monthly service charges.James Taylor, of Hartington Close in Letchworth, who has flagged up the massive rise in the monthly service charges. (Image: Archant)

North Hertfordshire Homes, which manages the Tomorrow’s Garden City project at Hartington Place, hiked the monthly service charge from £77.44 to £256.48 at the start of the month.

A week later it sent out a revised letter apparently bringing it down to £182.40 – but James Taylor, who lives in Hartington Place, told the Comet that NHH’s Michael Nahal was still quoting him the £256.48 figure.

“I don’t know where their maths has come from,” said James, 33.

“It’s astronomical. I could get an interest-only mortgage for less.

“They’ve told me they were under-charging a lot – but how come it’s taken them four years to figure that out? I understand these things go up with inflation and that, but not by this much.”

NHH officers looking into the matter told the Comet they have been delayed by technical problems.