A CAMPAIGNING Broomhill resident has forced River Clyde Homes to drop demands for homeowners to pay their share of drainage work.

Sam Wilson, who owns his flat in Ann Street, disputed his final bill for the refurbishment, part of a £26m regeneration programme.

He argued that as a home owner he should not have to stump up for the cost of drainage after River Clyde Homes had billed all homeowners for hundreds of pounds.

Now the retired driver, who has made a catalogue of complaints, hopes to set up an Inverclyde-wide homeowners group to give them a voice.

Sam Wilson, of Ann Street, said: "I was charged £680 but I refused to pay.

"When I checked my title deeds it confirmed I was not responsible for anything outside the building.

"But I know people had paid it - will they get their money back?

"There are people living here who are elderly and vulnerable and they would have just have paid it all.

"This could now cost River Clyde Homes a lot of money."

Sam one chaired the tenants and residents association and is concerned about the biomass heating system RCH has introduced in his neighbourhood.

He was sent a final bill of around £1,700 for his share of the refurbishments.

But Sam added: "The standard and quality of the work has been shocking.

"There is not one thing on that final bill that is actually working.

"They are charging me for the share of a security door entry system which isn't right.

"There is a communal satellite which doesn't work.

"The communal windows are not fitted properly and neither is the Martec door.

"They don't want to come back and fix anything and the guarantee will run out.

"I would like to get homeowners together to give us a voice."

River Clyde Homes today confirmed that after consulting the title deeds they were forced to cover the full cost.

Senior programme manager Brian Hughes said: “As a homeowner, Mr Wilson is liable for a share of all improvement works carried out to his home but we have maximised available grants to reduce the costs for owners.

"Originally, owners were billed for their share of drainage works.

"However, further scrutiny of the title deeds led us to the opinion that these improvements should be carried out at no cost to homeowners in the area.

"This will help to further reduce Mr Wilson’s overall liability for the significant improvements to his home.”

“This major £26m regeneration project has been a resounding success with residents and we’re pleased to say that all properties have now been let. "This is a significant turnaround on 2016 when only 45 per cent of homes there were occupied."