CAMPAIGNERS battling Scotland's biggest landlord over crippling home-improvement fees have won a major breakthrough.

CAMPAIGNERS battling Scotland's biggest landlord over crippling home-improvement fees have won a major breakthrough.

A sheriff has told Glasgow Housing Association it must allow a nurse who faced paying a £6000 bill in a year to pay it off at £100 a month.

The ruling at Glasgow Sheriff Court has been hailed as a victory for common sense.

Owner-occupier Frances Schooler, a nurse at Stobhill Hospital, was taken to court because she couldn't afford to pay £525 a month for work carried out by GHA at her home.

Several homeowners face legal action and have been issued with open decrees - a move which gives the association the power to arrest wages at any time and ultimately repossess a house.

But campaigners claim Frances' case now sets an important precedent for other owners struggling to pay such bills.

The 49-year-old, from Germiston, said: "I was paying £100 a month to the GHA but they didn't accept it. That's why I was taken to court.

"The only other option I would have had was to remortgage my house or sell my car.

"I am very relieved."

The GHA says it is legally obliged to get payment from house owners for improvements within a year because it is a registered charity. They say any extension has to be authorised by the Executive's housing agency, Communities Scotland.

Glasgow MSP Sandra White described the sheriff's decision as a "breakthrough". She added: "I would say this case sets an important precedent for other owners.

"It flies in the face of the GHA's mandate that owners must pay within a maximum of 12 months.

"Frances has been given leave to pay £100 per month which is what she said she could afford.

"It is a victory for common sense."

But a GHA spokeswoman said: "This case does not set a precedent.

"The court has the discretion to fix the amount of instalments at whatever figure the sheriff considers is reasonable.

"In these cases, however, the owner does have to pay court costs of around £250 and also must pay interest at the rate of 8%, which is the rate of interest set by statute.

"This is a higher rate of interest than the owner would normally pay for a mortgage top-up or a high street loan."