A GROUP of Alcombe residents have enlisted the support of their local MP and district councillor in a bid to get Magna West Somerset Housing Association to review plans to charge leaseholders an average of £800 to have their flats externally repainted. Bridgwater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell- Grainger and West Somerset District Council member for Alcombe, Cllr Simon Stokes, met leaseholders from Marley Close on Wednesday. They were told that under the terms of the leases, which Magna inherited from West Somerset District Council, the Marley Close properties, together with others in Periton Way, must be spruced up externally every five years. The aim is to ensure all the properties are redecorated at the same time, with the same materials and in the same colours. However, while the condition does not pose problems for tenants, those who have since bought their homes are faced with a dilemma when they discover windows or doors need painting before the five year maintenance period is up. One such leaseholder, Philippa Gerry, who is 73, paid almost £100 to have her shed repainted last year and is now facing the possibility of being forced to pay to have it done again, even though the work does not need to be done. She said the situation had been exacerbated because Magna had simply sent her a bill for £879 without breaking down what work would actually be done. That was in stark contrast to the last round of maintenance work in 2000 when leaseholders were sent detailed itemised bills to see what work was proposed and were then able to negotiate with Magna about what did and did not need to be done. Miss Gerry said she was also concerned that Magna was being unfair as the association had simply looked at her and her neighbour's flat as one unit and then split the cost of the work in two - even though Miss Gerry has wooden windows which can be painted, while her neighbour's are maintenance- free UPVC. On top of that, her £879 bill includes a 20 per cent administration charge and VAT at 17.5 per cent, between them adding £255 to the £624 painting bill. Miss Gerry said: "Letters have been flying backwards and forwards but we feel that we've been ignored. "Nobody is answering our questions and we feel Magna is not acting fairly or reasonably." She was among a group of leaseholders who met Magna director Tony Murray at a specially convened meeting on Wednesday night. Speaking after the meeting, she said she finally felt that her concerns were being listened to and welcomed the association's plans to produce a handbook to explain Magna's various legal obligations to leaseholders. She was also pleased with Mr Murray's pledge to look into the administration charge but said the meeting had failed to address concerns about people having to pay for wooden windows they did not have. Cllr Stokes pledged to pursue the matter at district council level, while Mr Liddell-Grainger said he suspected Miss Gerry's case was simply 'the tip of the iceberg'. Mr Liddell-Grainger said he would speak to Magna's directors on the leaseholders' behalf and added: "These bills are simply unacceptable as they give people no idea at all what they are paying for. Magna has got this completely wrong." Cllr Stokes said he was particularly concerned as "many vulnerable people" were affected. He added: "We as a district council have a duty to properly manage this as we were the original landlords and the five year clause was something we instigated. "I feel the administration charge is excessive and that the individual leaseholders should be told clearly what work will be done and then have the opportunity, as they did in 2000, to decide where work does not need doing and have their bills reduced accordingly." In a statement, Mr Murray said the association had also found the meeting "very useful" and had helped to "identify the areas where we can improve communication with our leaseholders", especially on issues relating to maintenance works. He said: "Our first priority is for the maintenance and upkeep of our properties and this has to be borne in mind when assessing cyclical works to leaseholders' homes. "Where leaseholders have undertaken works to a satisfactory standard we would be happy to consider their individual circumstances. "We do, however, have to consider the impact on any other residents be they leaseholder or tenant." He said Magna had reviewed its specification for painting works to improve the standard and quality and said invoices listing the various works were available to anyone who requested them. Magna's planned maintenance manager, Ian Partington, said the association was bound by a raft of legislation which dictated the way in which maintenance was carried out and consultation undertaken. He said the company had asked four contractors to tender for the work and subsequently selected the lowest tender.