The Londoners who are on service charge 'strike'

Last week, BBC London reported on the soaring service charges faced by tenants and residents, some of whom have seen their monthly bill rise by hundreds of pounds in a few years.

"The mental pressure and anxiety, every single day. I can't even sleep because I'm too overwhelmed with so much stress. Sometimes I feel shattered. I feel lost." "From May to October, the heating is off because it's very warm, but we are still having to pay for the heating and we totally disagree with this," Jakia says. "It is not fair. Plus the amount is astronomical. It's just outrageous."

He adds his block has been charged for window cleaning when there are no communal windows and "concierge and security" appears on his bill when he says there is no such service.Gaz Rahman is highly critical of the services provided by THCH Jakia, centre, and Gaz, right, speaking to BBC London's Tarah Welsh, are withholding payments to THCH in a dispute over charges

Kasia, who lives in Southall, west London, says there have been numerous issues with problems not being fixed, with faulty entry doors, and with vandalism going unrepaired, and she says some services simply are not being provided.She says the breakdown of costs does not equate to the work that has been done.

She has formed a residents' association so they can make challenges as a group and says 24 flats in her block are now on service charge strike.A Clarion Housing spokesperson said the issues were being taken "very seriously". She says it is not just individuals, either - entire estates are now refusing to pay the service charge.

Refusing to pay a service charge can lead to tenants being evicted, but SHAC says the system is set up so the onus is on the tenant to challenge the charge after being forced to pay it, which she says is wrong. "There is this awful problem that the landlord can very likely recover all of their costs from you for pursuing that debt."Gaz says his home has no concierge or security - despite residents being charged for this "service"

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