HOUSING associations that act as factors to owners of former council homes are supposed to be models of housing practice, with the welfare of tenants and homeowners at the heart of their policy.

However, some residents say they are just as guilty of high charges as private property management firms.

The Evening Times has uncovered evidence some are charging huge sums for the simplest of cleaning, gardening and electrical work.

Housing association factors - like their counterparts in the private sector - are not licensed or registered and Communities Scotland, the housing regulatory organisation, has limited jurisdiction over their activities as property managers.

Homeowners on the Wyndford Estate, Maryhill, say their factor, Cube Housing, regularly charges huge sums for small repairs.

Retired John Broderick has lived in his home for 26 years. The 58-year-old said: "Some of the charges are outrageous.

"In the past year we have been charged £44 to change a light bulb that costs £1 to buy and £137 to clear a blocked bin chute - an easy job that took five minutes.

"After a fire in the bin area I offered to buy and replace a padlock, at a cost of about £3.50. But I was told I was not allowed to do that.

"We were later charged £36 for the job."

A 63-year-old neighbour also criticised Cube Housing.

Margaret Boyle added: "Sometimes the factor sends us bills for work done almost a year ago. How are we supposed to keep up with that?

"Many of us feel we are being ripped off."

Maureen Wilson is a 65-year-old cleaner and also lives on the Wyndford Estate. She said: "The charges just seem to go up and up."

Willie Croft, head of regeneration for Cube Housing, said: "Health and safety procedures must be adhered to, but if there are cheaper ways to do repairs we would be more than happy to look at them.

"We look forward to meeting owners to discuss this issue."

Gillian Thomson was shocked when her factor, Clydebank Housing Association, charged her and eight neighbours £182 to fix a light timer.

The 39-year-old said: "We could not believe it - it seemed such a tiny job.

"To make things worse, the workman broke the lock on the cupboard where the timer is and we were then charged a further £60 to get that fixed."

Alison Macfarlane, the housing association's senior maintenance officer, denied a workman had broken the lock, but conceded a mistake had been made.

She said: "We should have changed the invoice wording from adjust time clock' to renew timeclock'."

Despite the error, the association will not be refunding residents.

Knightswood resident Sam McCartney got into a dispute with his factor, Glasgow Housing Association, when it quoted him and two neighbours more than £1000 each to have the outside of their homes painted.

Mr McCartney, a 54-year-old social worker whose home is in a four-in-a-block, refused to pay and got his own tradesman to do the job - for £250 each.

He said: "£3000 to paint the outside of our building is ridiculous.

"I asked GHA in writing for a breakdown of the costs and it failed to respond.

"I got my own quote and asked GHA to use our tradesman, but it refused."

But a GHA spokeswoman said it was "misleading" and "inappropriate" to compare the quotes.

She added: "Independent or local businesses may be able to offer a cheaper quote, but the specifications, quality and warranty of the work are unlikely to meet GHA's exacting criteria."

Ricky Glen was stunned when he added up his factor's bill and realised Shettleston Housing Association was charging him and his neighbours a total of £864 a year to cut a 6m x 6m piece of grass at the back of their tenement.

Mr Glen, 58, a blacksmith, said: "It is obvious the association is not shopping around for the best quotes.

"It recently sent us a quote of £6000 - £500 per house - for a new close door. A friend who is a tradesman said it could be done for £2000.

"Thankfully, owners were able to outvote tenants and put a stop to the work."

Chris Cunningham, director of Shettleston Housing Association, agreed the charge for landscaping Mr Glen's garden was too high.

He added: "The way we negotiated our contract has clearly produced unfair anomalies, with some people paying too much. We will be reviewing the matter across the board.

"We believe the door is good value for money, but would be happy to discuss other products with owners."

Govan-based lawyer Mike Dailly, who campaigns for fair practice in housing, said too many social housing bodies were letting homeowners down.

He said: "While some housing association factors are very good indeed, others are truly awful.

"High charges would appear commonplace in Glasgow.

"National statutory laws are needed for private and housing association factors."