Southwark Council has apologised after sending a Rotherhithe resident a letter threatening legal action if he did not pay for repairs, allegedly due to “an algorithm error”.
Michael Robertson lives in the Columbia Point tower block, which is being renovated alongside nearby Regina Point. Robertson agreed with the council to make the payments in instalments over four years.
But he was later sent a “letter of claim” by council officers in November last year, telling him he owed more than £10,700 in service charges.
Under a section labelled “next steps” the letter told him he “must either make payment of the full outstanding amount” or respond with a financial statement form within 30 days.
If he failed to do either, the letter added, the council would “commence court proceedings” against him to get the money, as well as costs.
Robertson said getting the letter was “quite a shock to the system”.
Five days later he received an apology from the council, telling him this letter was sent due to a series of errors and that he could make the payments in instalments. He also alleges a council officer told him that the email was sent because of an “algorithm error”, although the News could not verify this.
A spokesperson for Southwark Council declined to comment.