DEFIANT homeowners have vowed to call the police to stop workmen carrying out enforced refurbishment work on their properties.

The owner-occupiers are threatening legal action to prevent contractors - working on behalf of Glasgow Housing Association - from putting up scaffolding outside their flats.

The residents - three out of four of whom own their home - face bills of more than £6000 each if work to upgrade the roof and exterior walls of the property go ahead.

The total bill for the Knightswood block has been quoted by the GHA at £52,000 - or £13,000 for each household.

The three owner-occupiers, who will receive 50% grants, have been ordered to pay £6563 immediately, or more than £500 a month over the next year.

But after months of bitter wrangling they have now vowed to call the police if contractors set foot on their properties in Dyke Road.

Housing officials told the residents the work would start this week, despite their protests.

Homeowner Julia McAlaney, 41, said: "There is no way I can afford to shell out more than £500 a month, on top of everything else.

"GHA have refused to listen to us and claim they are going to carry on regardless. No-one is disputing the need for this repair work but we were handed one quote for the work, which was completely unacceptable."

Martin Hesketh, a landlord who owns one of the four-in-a-block homes, said: "We will be left with no choice but to call the police if they try to start work.

"We reckon the work is at least £15,000 overpriced - and we have no explanation.

"GHA have buried their heads in the sand and hoped we would give up, but we will fight this all the way."

A GHA spokeswoman said the residents could not prevent the contractors from doing the work.

She added: "GHA does intend to proceed with the re-cladding and re-roofing work in line with the vote among the residents of that block in favour of the work going ahead.

"The legal caveat' obtained by Mr Hesketh and Ms McAlaney is not an interim interdict against GHA and does not prevent GHA from commencing any work at the property."

It's the latest in a series of disputes involving owner-occupiers in Glasgow.

Last month, 86-year-old Mary McDonald won a court fight over her refusal to pay a £277 GHA repair bill for her tenement home, also in Knightswood, after yobs vandalised the block.