Residents trapped with service charges of up to £8,000 a year threaten legal action against government

The Pickle Factory, where affordable housing owners contribute the same service fees as private residents, but are not given the same access. Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Residents trapped in properties marketed as “affordable” are planning legal action against the government after being hit with service charges of up to £8,000 a year.

Shared-ownership homes are designed to allow people to get on the property ladder, with residents taking a mortgage on a share and paying subsidised rent on the rest. However, there are also service charges, which can initially be £250 to £350 a month. Once sold, some residents discover these charges can rise to £600 a month or more.