Apartments stuck with boiler that is never turned off

Springfield House has a communal boiler that residents say is becoming more expensive to run

Leaseholders of an apartment building say they are facing a huge hike in their service charges for a boiler they cannot turn off.

The flats at Springfield House in Box, Wiltshire, are all heated by a communal system, which one resident told us was off-putting to buyers.

The building is run by social housing provider GreenSquare Accord, which recently proposed doubling leaseholders' service charges from £171 to £342.89 per month.

The company said this has since been revised down "to a reduced rate of £228.89 per month", but this only happened after residents had contacted the BBC.

Sarah Marshall says the rising service charge is making it harder to sell her flat.

Springfield House resident Sarah Marshall wants to sell her flat, but said the service charges have made it difficult.

"My property has been on the market for two years, and I've had six buyers pull out," she said.

"It's been horrendous and has put me in so much stress."

Another resident, Hetti Dysch, told the BBC the charge had nearly tripled since she moved to Springfield House in 2021.

"I welcome the reduction, but the timing feels convenient," she said.

"The BBC has been involved, the local MP has been involved and we've been campaigning for six months, and suddenly the charges have been significantly reduced without adequate explanation."

Hetti Dysch welcomed the reduced service charge, but said it took too long to come.

A spokesperson for GreenSquare Accord told the BBC: "Due to external factors beyond our control, the past 24 months have seen a substantial increase in the cost of utilities.

“At the time the service charge cost estimate was calculated it was set at the correct level based on the usage information to hand.

“A subsequent review has indicated that we can reduce the service charge at Springfield House from £342.89 per month to a reduced rate of £228.89.

The statement added: "We have written to all impacted customers at Springfield House to advise them of their new monthly rate."