LEASEHOLDERS in Llanyravon have said they have each been told to cough up thousands of pounds for work on their homes - which they claim doesn’t need to be done.

Bron Afon Community Housing is planning on replacing the roofs of 32 blocks of flats in the ward, and has sent out bills for the work of around £28,000 per block - or between £4,900 and £9,000 for each leaseholder, depending on how many people live in each block.

But a group of leaseholders has said they do not believe the work needs to be done, and residents are being forced to shell out unnecessarily.

The group, led by Ann Sellick-Jones, Fred Phillips, and Mary Phillips, have said there doesn’t appear to be any problems with the roofs in many of the buildings, and are concerned about the impact of the expensive work on elderly residents

“The majority live alone and are on pension credits,” said Mrs Sellick-Jones.

“Most people are bringing in £700 a month, but would have to pay £150 a month of that to Bron Afon.

“The people are angry, and the majority are frightened.

“Can you imagine the impact this can have and the distress it can cause on a 99-year-old man living on his own? Or a 95-year-old woman? Imagine telling them about their repayments.

“Having these demands has left a lot of them fearing they will be thrown out of their homes or they will be thrown in to poverty. Bron Afon are being unreasonable and unrealistic. They have arbitrarily made these decisions. The consultation period was a joke.”

The group said they agree that some of the flats need work on them, but are concerned every Bron Afon property in Llanyravon will have the same proposed repair - whether they need them or not.

Mr Phillips said: “Some of the problems they have highlighted do need doing.

“These are repairs.

“But it’s these added improvements they keep trying to add on which are not needed.”

The group highlighted a £3,650 charge to put a new roof on the bin shed at one of the blocks of flats, and a charge to erect a fence on top of a dwarf wall as among the work which they believe does not need to be done.

“I was at home when the survey was done on this block,” said Mrs Phillips. “It was done by a man stood outside and looking up at the roof. What they were hoping to find by doing that I don’t know.”

The leaseholders group are appealing for the housing association to meet with them to discuss the works.

“I have asked they come to each block individually and explain why they feel these works are needed,” said Mrs Phillips.

A Bron Afon spokesman said any proposed works would not start until an internal review of the project was completed.

They said: “Bron Afon is currently going through its internal quality assurance process, following the formal consultation period with leaseholders, which ended on July 13, 2019.

“The project will not progress further until this internal review process has been concluded, which is likely to be week commencing September 9, 2019.

“Mark Williams, head of asset investment and compliance, has reached out to Mary Phillips from the Llanyravon Leaseholder Association and has offered to meet with representatives of the group following their meeting on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.”

The group have appealed to their MP David Davies and AM Nick Ramsay, and are holding a leaseholders’ meeting tonight, Wednesday, at Llanyravon Social Club at 6.15pm.