A housing association billed more than £6,000 for work, most of which has not been carried out.

It comes while the housing association is sitting on an internal fraud investigation following a whistleblower’s allegations on this website of repeated overcharging for repairs over years.

Circle Housing’s senior executive Deborah Upton said the results of the investigation woukd be made public after a board meeting on March 18. 

Francesca Morra, of Glastonbury Road in Morden, received the estimated bill in May for just under £13,000 to be shared between her and another tenant for roof repair work, scaffolding, structural repairs, asbestos removal, loft insulation and external painting.

When contractors United House erected the scaffolding between November and December last year, the only work completed was a few tile fillers in the roof and external painting of a door and fence according to Ms Morra.

Circle Housing Merton Priory (CHMP), which manages the property said the bill was only an estimate, which would be refunded if work had not been carried out.

Adrian Shaw, director of commercial and leasehold at Centra Living, CHMP's parent company, said: "As a landlord we are obliged under the terms of the lease to bill on estimated costs, including major works such as these.

"Every effort is made to ensure the initial estimate is accurate. We are also offering a two year interest free loan as a payment option to affected leaseholders."

September 2014: Private repair companies 'repeatedly over-charging social housing tenants' as part of a £220m contract

September 2014: Independent auditors hired to investigate fraud allegations at Circle Housing Merton Priory

December 2014: Boss of Circle Housing Merton claims 'shocking' repairs in Merton are 'teething problems'

January 2015: MP Stephen Hammond accuses housing association of delaying publication of fraud investigation

But questions remain about why Ms Morra is being asked to pay the incorrect bill in April when the main work set out on the bill was finished or dropped in December, presumably giving CHMP enough time to survey completed work.

Ms Morra, who lives in a one-bedroom maisonette, said: "They choose the builder contractor that they want, they estimate the cost much higher than the real cost, they do not do the job but they charge you for the estimation and want to be paid in cash.

"This is a rip off for poor tax-payers like me who have worked their entire lives to buy the flat."

Wimbledon Times:

Mitcham and Morden MP Siobhain McDonagh hears leaseholders' concerns at a meeting in December

Concerns have also been raised about the stress caused by invoicing leaseholders for large bills, some of which may not ever have to be paid.

Michelle Theodorou, of Derwent Road, said she fell into arrears after her service charges increased and became less regular when CHMP took over management of the estate from Merton Council in 2010.

She said: "I have owned the property for 10 years and the ground rate for service charges has never been a problem, £35 a month, but when CHMP took over in 2010 the bills were never the same, really hard and complicated to work out."

She said bills often arrive without a breakdown of what the charges were for, but a CHMP spokesman disputed this.

The spokesman also said that estimated annual service charges for Derwent road reduced slightly after CHMP took over the estate and have stayed at just under £400 since 2010.

Wimbledon Times:

Leaseholders gathered to seek advice from the Leaseholders Advisory Service in December 

Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, organised a meeting with residents of CHMP properties and a representative from the Leasehold Advisory Service in December after receiving a number of complaints about bills.

She said: "I just know that leaseholder management is hard and that, given that leaseholders are paying, they do expect contractors to behave properly and perfom and we know that doesn't always happen with CHMP contractors so obviously it's going to be fraught if scaffolding is put up and no work is done."

Are you a CHMP leaseholder with concerns about bills? Comment below, or contact Louisa on louisa.clarence@london.newsquest.co.uk.