Service fees on flats are set to rocket

They are being told they will have to fork out an extra £446.14 a year when the charge soars from the current £269.36 to £715.52.

The rise would make the charge for services in Kensington Court, off St George's Road, Bolton, more expensive than the luxurious Eagley Mills development in Astley Bridge where the costs are £600 a year.

And that has caused anger among the residents who say the housing association Portico is making them pay for what they claim is an inadequate service.

Rob Dean, a 37-year-old teacher, said: "I have lived here for three years and have had nothing but problems with Portico. They are saying if we are to continue with the current services the charges will have to go up. But we are not getting any services.

"They recently admitted that the cleaner has never had any access to running water on this site so how are they supposed to clean? In fact, this week is the first time the French windows have been cleaned for five months.

"The gates to the flats are broken and they claim companies have been out to fix them, but they don't check up that they have.

"It's an ideal property with reasonable rent but is spoiled by poor management." The residents pay £5.18 a week for services such as window cleaning and the cleaning of communal areas. That cost will soar to £13.76.

Alan Thompson, aged 27, said: "The gates are always broken and when people can't get in, they have a tendency to knock on my window to let them in, which can get quite annoying."

Despite repeated requests, Portico refused to comment.

0How are the windows supposed to be cleaned?

"I had trickles of water running down my walls three years after I've moved in, that still hasn't been fixed.

Anne Hoyle, aged 47, who has lived in the flats for 18 months, said: "The window cleaning is supposed to be done as part of the service charge but I've been told you can turn the windows inside out and that you are supposed to clean them yourself."