A TENANT has hit out at a housing association for charging him too much rent for 11 months.

Emmanuel Thomas, aged 25, of Kiln Crescent, Worcester, said he had lost more than £1,000 as a result of the blunder.

Fortis Living has apologised to him and put £1,062.84 into his rent account to cover future payments - as a refund.

However, Mr Thomas is concerned that other people might be in the same position he was in and has called on the association to carry out a review.

He said: "I'm worried that if they have done it to me how many other people could be paying too much rent that don't know how to complain.

"They need to review all their rents they have recently let at affordable properties to make sure it's not happening to others.

"I earn okay money but have to work overtime after work and weekends to afford this rent.

"If I was paying the right rent I wouldn't have to work at the weekend to put food on the table. I would have had a better quality of life."

Mr Thomas said he was told by Fortis Living that he would pay £87 per week before he moved into his property.

However, when he moved into the property in August last year his rent rose to £111.

He claims he phoned the housing association two weeks afterwards to find out why the figure had changed.

The resident said he continued to complain to Fortis Living until he finally received an email confirming that he had been paying too much rent.

Mr Thomas now wants Fortis Living to offer him compensation as he is worried that he might have to repay housing benefit as he might not have been entitled to it given the reduced rent.

A Fortis Living spokesman said: "Affordable rent properties are charged at 80 per cent of the private rental market value, so the rent charged may vary depending on when the tenancy started and what the property rental value was at the time.

"In this case, we have reviewed our rent assessment which has lowered the weekly amount. We apologise to Mr Thomas for any inconvenience and would be happy to discuss the possibility of compensation.”