Residents of a housing development in Stratford say they are facing extortionate service charge rises of 100% in the past year alone, as well as backdated charges with no explanation.
They say the issues at River Heights are symptomatic of wider problems in the housing leasehold system in London.
“It’s a non-stop battle trying to get a fair service charge” one resident tells City News.
“Over the past eight years I have probably spent about two hundred hours on constant calls, emailing people, and explaining what’s happening over and over again.”
River Heights is a 2015 development formed of two buildings – a private leaseholder tower and a smaller housing association (HA) block.
Peabody, the not-for-profit housing association representing HA block residents, tells City News they are “looking into the issues raised”.
Problems began in previous years due to heating maintenance and repairs.
Ringley, the previous managing agent, applied to a tribunal in 2022 so they could charge residents over the £250 legally allowed to fund repairs.
However, like the towers themselves, the heating systems are distinct, and so Ringley’s application was denied. The judge also ordered the company to refund a total of £35,000 in charges to HA residents.
Peabody claimed in an email this money would be included in the 2022/23 final accounts, but some HA residents say they have not recognised any benefit from the refund.
While the tribunal’s outcome was successful, Peabody said “we recognise that we should have been more involved… we are currently reviewing all of the services we deliver to homeowners.”
Letters signed by the occupants of 21 apartments complained they received additional backdated charges on top of their regular payments, including a £2,742 bill for a one-bed flat, which was three years out of date.
Another resident wrote they received a letter dated November 2024 for an extra payment of £1,395 for a one-bed flat, “with no detailed breakdown, and only a vague reference to services and costs.”
Peabody directed concerned residents to an estimated budget created by the previous managing agents, but some claimed charges remained unclear.
For instance, £2000 was reportedly spent on internal repairs, but residents claim no such work has been carried out.
One told City News “you’re paying all of this money and not seeing a single thing being done … our building has not been painted once, the carpets are filthy, it’s a wreck”.
Residents also cite EMA (external managing agent) services increasing from an estimated £7,000 to an actual £141,000 (for a two-bed flat).
Strangford, the managing agent who replaced Ringley, has previously mentioned increasing costs of building insurance, concierge and new rules around fire door remediation.
In a letter to Tower Residents, it said residents had also been previously undercharged hundreds of pounds in error due to miscalculations.
More recently, residents have been hit with estimated service charge increases for 2025 to 2026 of almost 100%.
One occupant of a two-bed flat says her charges are set to increase from £217.97 to £428.25 per month.
In response to concerns about the new charges, residents were informed there may have been calculation errors which Peabody would review, with no further updates.
Another resident says she was on maternity leave at the time of receiving backdated service charges:
“It was crazy, I think we all panicked. It’s a constant stress thinking … what are they going to hit us with next year?”
Millennium, who replaced Strangford in October 2025, tells City News that the 2025/26 service charge collection is “primarily driven by inflationary pressures and statutory compliance costs … and the service charge is billed to [the] head leaseholder.”
The RLHA representing the River Heights Directors told City News that service charges across London are increasing and this is not a unique issue.
They also say the heating system is in need of replacement and this has historically been “one of the most significant drivers of increased service charges”. However, as per the 2022 tribunal, this should not affect HA residents.
Occupants of the HA block say they tried to get onto the housing director’s board to influence service charge calculations but were not allowed – “we don’t know what’s going on and we’re getting ignored”.
They say this is due to a lease structure in which even those who own their homes outright are not represented on the board.
“We are asked to fund major works without evidence, consultation, or transparency, while historic reserve funds risk being absorbed by the private tower” one resident tells me.
“What’s happening at River Heights exposes a serious flaw in the leasehold system: ordinary residents can be presented with enormous, potentially unlawful bills and shut out of decision-making, while those in control face no meaningful scrutiny.”
Peabody says it “recognises how frustrating errors and inconsistencies can be for residents … service charges can be complex, and we know there are areas where the process can be improved …where external managing agents are involved, this can add further complexity.”
Ringley and Strangford have been approached for comment.
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Headline“A non-stop battle”: the Stratford residents facing “unexplained, enormous” charges
Short Headline"A non-stop battle": Stratford residents fighting for fair charges
StandfirstWhile the government proposes leaseholder reforms, in Stratford residents tell City News they have faced years of exorbitant service charge fees
Residents of a housing development in Stratford say they are facing extortionate service charge rises of 100% in the past year alone, as well as backdated charges with no explanation.
They say the issues at River Heights are symptomatic of wider problems in the housing leasehold system in London.
“It’s a non-stop battle trying to get a fair service charge” one resident tells City News.
“Over the past eight years I have probably spent about two hundred hours on constant calls, emailing people, and explaining what’s happening over and over again.”
River Heights is a 2015 development formed of two buildings – a private leaseholder tower and a smaller housing association (HA) block.
Peabody, the not-for-profit housing association representing HA block residents, tells City News they are “looking into the issues raised”.
Problems began in previous years due to heating maintenance and repairs.
Ringley, the previous managing agent, applied to a tribunal in 2022 so they could charge residents over the £250 legally allowed to fund repairs.
However, like the towers themselves, the heating systems are distinct, and so Ringley’s application was denied. The judge also ordered the company to refund a total of £35,000 in charges to HA residents.
Peabody claimed in an email this money would be included in the 2022/23 final accounts, but some HA residents say they have not recognised any benefit from the refund.
While the tribunal’s outcome was successful, Peabody said “we recognise that we should have been more involved… we are currently reviewing all of the services we deliver to homeowners.”
Letters signed by the occupants of 21 apartments complained they received additional backdated charges on top of their regular payments, including a £2,742 bill for a one-bed flat, which was three years out of date.
Another resident wrote they received a letter dated November 2024 for an extra payment of £1,395 for a one-bed flat, “with no detailed breakdown, and only a vague reference to services and costs.”
Peabody directed concerned residents to an estimated budget created by the previous managing agents, but some claimed charges remained unclear.
For instance, £2000 was reportedly spent on internal repairs, but residents claim no such work has been carried out.
One told City News “you’re paying all of this money and not seeing a single thing being done … our building has not been painted once, the carpets are filthy, it’s a wreck”.
Residents also cite EMA (external managing agent) services increasing from an estimated £7,000 to an actual £141,000 (for a two-bed flat).
Strangford, the managing agent who replaced Ringley, has previously mentioned increasing costs of building insurance, concierge and new rules around fire door remediation.
In a letter to Tower Residents, it said residents had also been previously undercharged hundreds of pounds in error due to miscalculations.
More recently, residents have been hit with estimated service charge increases for 2025 to 2026 of almost 100%.
One occupant of a two-bed flat says her charges are set to increase from £217.97 to £428.25 per month.
In response to concerns about the new charges, residents were informed there may have been calculation errors which Peabody would review, with no further updates.
Another resident says she was on maternity leave at the time of receiving backdated service charges:
“It was crazy, I think we all panicked. It’s a constant stress thinking … what are they going to hit us with next year?”
Millennium, who replaced Strangford in October 2025, tells City News that the 2025/26 service charge collection is “primarily driven by inflationary pressures and statutory compliance costs … and the service charge is billed to [the] head leaseholder.”
The RLHA representing the River Heights Directors told City News that service charges across London are increasing and this is not a unique issue.
They also say the heating system is in need of replacement and this has historically been “one of the most significant drivers of increased service charges”. However, as per the 2022 tribunal, this should not affect HA residents.
Occupants of the HA block say they tried to get onto the housing director’s board to influence service charge calculations but were not allowed – “we don’t know what’s going on and we’re getting ignored”.
They say this is due to a lease structure in which even those who own their homes outright are not represented on the board.
“We are asked to fund major works without evidence, consultation, or transparency, while historic reserve funds risk being absorbed by the private tower” one resident tells me.
“What’s happening at River Heights exposes a serious flaw in the leasehold system: ordinary residents can be presented with enormous, potentially unlawful bills and shut out of decision-making, while those in control face no meaningful scrutiny.”
Peabody says it “recognises how frustrating errors and inconsistencies can be for residents … service charges can be complex, and we know there are areas where the process can be improved …where external managing agents are involved, this can add further complexity.”
Ringley and Strangford have been approached for comment.
