A bitter tug-of-war over the Chestnut Road housing estate in Vange has moved closer to being resolved.
Dispute - Chestnut Road estate Picture: ANNA LUKALA
More than 100 residents and leaseholders left the meeting in Vange finally content following more than a year of being caught in a bitter battle between two management companies competing for housing contracts.
Homeowners on the estate have been receiving two sets of bills for maintenance and cleaning work from two management companies, Equity and C&C.
Both companies have been claiming responsibility for the upkeep of the 35 blocks of flats and last month police launched a fraud probe into the rival companies following a request from Basildon and East Thurrock MP Angela Smith.
The row dates back to June 2003 when a group of residents, who were disgruntled with Equity's service, held a meeting to transfer control to C&C.
Last night homeowners and representatives from C&C and Equity attended the meeting in Valerie Lodge, High Road to sort out the issues.
A vote was taken to remove Equity as the directors of the blocks and elect four new directors for the first 11 blocks, who are all leaseholders.
One of the new directors, Claudia Morcroft, said: "We want a clean slate.
"We are all leaseholders of these blocks and do not have any interest in making money. We want the people to be in control."
It was resolved that the transfer of control to C&C last year was not legal and therefore Equity are still in charge of the blocks.
Published Friday July 23, 2004
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