Residents in luxury flats in Ancoats have railed against a proposed surge in car park rates — which would see drivers charged £110 PER MONTH to park their car at home.
Tenants in the Manchester Life-owned Sawmill Court, on Murray Street in Ancoats, say the new pricing is ‘ludicrous’. Previously, drivers were charged £95 a month on top of their rent to lease a parking space in the secure facility. In 2021, the rate rose from £85 to £95 per month.
However, that is set to pass the three-figure threshold, they say — and comes at a time when other bills are increasing, so household budgets are not adding up. One tenant outraged by the charges is David Loughbrough, who lives in the block.
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“What’s the justification?,” he told the Manchester Evening News . “I’m writing a letter asking Manchester Life how they will invest the money and if they will invest in electric car charging spots. I am going to write to the council local MP.
“This company might have a glossy product on the outside but on the inside they do not care. The council tax rebate we have got has gone straight to their pockets.”
Another tenant who is up-in-arms about the rise is Will Caspari, who moved into his flat in June of last year. He added: “The issue is that you accept rent will go up over time. When we got the letter, it said it will go up by five percent — that’s okay.
“With that under car park this will end up being another £500 per year. My salary is not going up. To add £500 to that cost of living is not something you expect. if they said they had done something to improve the car park that would be different.” It's ludicrous.
“The issue with these new builds in popular areas like Ancoats is that they feel unstoppable because they will be able to fill the flats so they will take every last penny out with the current residents. It does not feel necessary.”
In response to the opposition to the new charges, a spokesperson for Manchester Life said the firm reviews its rates so it stays competitive with other developers in the area. A statement added: “Manchester Life reviews and adjusts all car park charges annually to ensure we are competitive to the market, offer good value to our residents, and reflect any changes to car park administration and maintenance costs."
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