Furious residents today claimed they would go to the localgovernment watchdog if more than pounds7,000 in parking fees are notcleared by the council this week.
Eight residents at the Ashgrove Court sheltered housing schemeare fighting for pounds7,040 in backdated parking charges from thecouncil.
They had forked out pounds880 each in weekly parking charges - despite spaces outside all other sheltered housing being free.
Aberdeen City Council scrapped parking fees for the 18 spacesoutside their homes last June.
But angry residents want reimbursed for the pounds2.70 a weekthey have paid to park beside their homes in the Ashgrove scheme.
They have written to the council warning that they will contactthe local government ombudsman if their concerns are not addressedby March 17.
George Gordon, 76, who lives in Ashgrove Court with wife Joyce,78, said: "What the council is doing feels like robbery.
"They made a mistake because they didn't know the parking chargesshould have stopped when Ashgrove Court became sheltered housing.
"We have lived here since before then and have been paying themoney for a long time.
"But now they are saying we won't get it back because we werewilling to pay it - but we didn't know that is should have beenfree."
Concerns were first raised two years ago by then ward councillorNeil Fletcher, who now represents Hilton/Stockethill.
But the council is still refusing to pay the cash back.
Eileen Robertson, 61, daughter of Ashgrove Court resident, NancyAlexander, 89, has written to the council giving them to the end ofthis week to say how they intend to repay the money.
She said: "These flats were made into sheltered housing nineyears ago and the residents have been paying parking for thatperiod.
"It was only two years ago that they found out their money wasbeing taken under false pretenses.
"It looks like someone at the council has made a big mistake andthey should set it right."
ktaylor@ajl.co.uk
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