DAVID LEASK and HANNAH THOMAS
Householders in Scotland's new private schemes yesterday won the right to change their factors.
For nearly two decades homeowners have been forced to pay a land management firm detailed in their property deeds, and no other.
Last night one of the biggest and most criticised firms of factors made a series of concessions that will pave the way for unhappy customers to go with another company.
Glasgow-based Greenbelt raises some £2m a year from factoring fees across Scotland and northern England, charging for maintaining everything from flood prevention systems and woodlands to children's playparks.
Scores of homeowners, however, have refused to pay because they feel the standard of work on offer does not match the fees they pay.
Greenbelt yesterday effectively told homeowners they could get another factor, as long as entire schemes voted unanimously to do so.
The firm's managing director and major shareholder, Alex Middleton, said: "We have listened to customers. We have developed a range of options which will allow homeowners more choice."
Greenbelt owns common land in some 250 estates. The firm was born as a company limited by guarantee in the early 1990s by Strathclyde Council, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Natural Heritage.
But by 2003-04 the public sector had pulled out of the firm after a management buy-out and Mr Middleton and his two partners were running it as a private business.
Mr Middleton insisted most customers remained happy with the service they received.
But one disgruntled householder was Paula Hoogerbrugge of Livingston. She was charged £140 for work she did not think had been done. The 44-year-old set up a website to bring together unhappy people from schemes where land was run by Greenbelt.
Ms Hoogerbrugge yesterday welcomed the firm's latest moves, but added: "I'm worried the devil may be in the detail. Appointing another company to manage the land might be tricky as homeowners are trapped by legal constraints of the deeds, which name Greenbelt as the owners of the communal land."
The campaigners' cause is being championed by Jim Devine, their MP. Last night he too warned any problems would be in the detail of Greenbelt's latest options.
Mr Middleton stressed his proposals predated the campaign. The company has been recognised as a centre of excellence for many of its roles. In particular, Mr Middleton said, its flood prevention work puts it among the industry leaders.
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