Homeowners left fuming after freeholder demands £14k for fire escape and threatens them with eviction just weeks before Christmas

Owners were told they would face legal action if they failed to pay the amount within a month. Currently, flats on the top floor of the converted office block do not have a safe fire escape.

Now, building managers Azure Property Management have told leaseholders of the 22 residential flats and 10 commercial units they need to pay a share of £441,000 within 30 days to build one.

However, some residents have said that they are concerned they could lose their homes, a claim Azure has denied.

Georgie Sayers, 44, who bought the flat seven years ago told The Sun: "It just feels so wrong that a person can work really hard to get themselves into a position to buy a flat.

"It's a one-bedroom flat on Sheerness High Street, it's not exactly a palace, however, it's mine. In this day and age to be able to get a mortgage as a single person, on my own, was something I was really proud of."

"And now it just feels like that could all be taken away from me just like that, through no fault of my own. I could lose everything, not just my home but my job as well."

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Ramunus Bulodas bought his flat nearly three years ago and he said is terrified of the amount of money requested and fears what will happen if he does not pay.

The 49-year-old said: "I don't know why we must pay this bill. Because they are the owners of this building, this company. Yet we pay everything - a service charge for them. Then we are asked to pay £14,000 again - it's not fair. No one explained when we bought the flat we had to pay for the fire steps - we don't know what to do."

Residents of the block have entered a court process called a First-Tier Tribunal (FTT), which has bought leaseholders 20 weeks of breathing room from the huge bill.

Local business owner and leaseholder of one of the flats in Portland House, Heidi Martin-Barshell, said: "The complaint has been accepted by the FTT and as such that limits me to what I am allowed to say because I don’t want it to interfere with any investigations that the FTT may make."

Martin-Barshell continued: "I will confirm that no one is disputing that works need doing to bring this building up-to-date. However, we are questioning the consultation and why we weren’t given sufficient information that we may be liable for costs and the limited time to pay such an astronomical amount of money.

"A 30-day demand and threats of court is unjustified when cost-of-living is the way it is at the moment."

A spokesman for Azure told The Sun: "There has been a lengthy consultation process with leaseholders in relation to these works in which they were made aware of the potential costs in May this year. From the outset, we have not pursued any kind of action which would see people lose their homes.

"It goes without saying that nobody wants this to happen and rather than pursue legal proceedings we have reassured leaseholders of our commitment to offering the most flexible payment timeframe possible for those facing significant financial difficulties."

The spokesperson continued: "Following this, we understand that a leaseholder may have referred the matter to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT). We would welcome a review by the FTT to confirm the works are necessary, and it is encouraging to hear that leaseholders now acknowledge this.

“We understand this is a difficult situation for everyone involved; it is not a course of action we have chosen, but a burden that has been placed on thousands of leaseholders across the UK due to necessary changes in building safety regulations.

"As a result, we have a legal requirement as well as a duty of care to carry out these fire safety works which independent specialists have told us we must do."