Northampton caravan park bosses hike rent despite admitting it is 'neglected'

Billing Aquadrome ground fees have been upped by three per cent - even though maintenance at the site has come under fire in recent months.

On Saturday the Chronicle & Echo revealed more than 1,000 people who own static caravans at Billing Aquadrome have been told they will have to pay three per cent extra on their ground rent from next year.

For some that will mean having to fork out close to Â£500 more a year

On top of that, the owners have been told they must spend at least Â£114 on a gas safety test from an approved contractor - even though some companies will provide the certificate for Â£50.

Some lodge owners will have to find an extra 500 next year.

People living there have spoken of their outrage on the Facebook page Billing Aqua Chat in recent days, with some even considering launching a petition to send to site owners Pure Leisure Group.

But the rent rise has been enforced even though the site management admit that parts of it are "neglected."

A letter sent to all owners at the start of November from the new general manager Sue Hogg, stated: "My role is to bring the neglected parts of the park back to life starting with the basics of cutting the grass, cleaning up the lakes, sorting the potholes and generally tidying up the park.

"Once we have these basics in place we can start building on this to improve the park as a whole. "

Caravan owners at Cogenhoe Mill fear the rent rise is coming their way too.

Caravan owners have contacted the Chron anonymously to have their say on the rent rise.

"I can’t get anyone to cut my grass or tidy the lake up, it’s absolute insanity here," said one man.

"They charge so much and do nothing for the money and we can’t leave because they will only give us Â£12,000 for our lodge."

Of the half-a-dozen people to contact the Chron, all said they were afraid to speak out in case they faced repercussions from Pure Leisure Group.

One man who lives at another Cogenoe Mill, also owned by Pure Leisure, said there are real concerns the rent rise will be enforced there too - even though large parts of the site are in disrepair and its only pub, The Crow's Nest, closed last year.

He said: "There are dips and potholes all around here. they burn rubbish by the pile.

"All people are ever saying to me is - do you remember how nice it used to be here?"

Pure Leisure Group have been offered the chance to respond to the complaints but have not responded.