THIS is a terrible and expensive feature of life in Scotland today.

I can understand the need for some kind of factor in a tenement block, but why owner/residents of modern housing estates are forced to pay them is beyond me.

I moved to this beautiful part of the UK from Geordieland some years ago. I lived on a new housing estate and we paid council tax and the local council maintained the common areas.

Here in Irvine we pay council tax and have to pay for a factor which must be one of the worst and most expensive firms to deal with. DR DAVID McNALLY, Irvine Shocked by paint bill

WITH regards to factors and their extortionate charges, my son and I put our flat on the market for sale in September.

In November, on receipt of the factor's six-monthly bill, there was a letter stating it proposed to paint the close.

The total was £7600+VAT, with our share being £1116.25 including VAT. This was the first we heard of it, there was no consulting of us to ask if the price was suitable, just that this was the best quote the factor could get.

The flat is only three years old. We have not yet sold it, but the painting still hasn't been done and we have been told we are still liable for the cost! AD, Via e-mail Papering over cracks

THE factor of my home in St Andrew's Square, Glasgow, has charged me £15.99 for wallpaper which cost just £3.99.

The factor took an 80-year-old neighbour to court for this as she refused to pay for shoddy workmanship.

People were trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

I've also had problems for years with a defective garage door that has cost three times more to repair than it would be to replace it with a new one. KEVIN McGarrigle, Glasgow Riddle of extra costs

I LIVE at Speirs Wharf and have done so for almost three years and currently my monthly factor bill is £150.

We receive a quarterly bill which they class as "items", but it's very vague. It then states what you owe over and above the monthly charge, which this quarter works out on average at £489, so therefore if you had to break it down monthly the total would be about £300 per month! DAVID NICOLL, Glasgow A problem shared

CONGRATULATIONS on a fantastic piece of journalism regarding the scourge that is factoring agents. I'm heartened to read I'm not the only one who is being ripped off. STEPHEN McCANN, Via e-mail Scandal is uncovered

I READ with great interest your articles on Glasgow factors.

I had almost given up all hope that anyone would be interested in the scandalous amount of money that I am being forced to hand over to a factor which provides no service in return. AUDREY GALLACHER, Via e-mail Hidden costs surfaced

GLAD to see that this problem many people face with factors is now out in the open.

My boyfriend and I have had trouble for the past year with our factor.

About two years ago we bought our flat on the basis there was no factor.

After being in our flat for about 16 months a bill for around £1000 from a factor was posted through the door, this was the first we had heard of the existing factor.

After this, despite regular contact with the firm explaining that neither us nor our lawyer knew there was a factor on the property, we received citations for court.

Although we have now arranged a payment schedule and no longer have to face a court, the situation is still not good. SARAH McEWAN, Via e-mail Water nightmare

THE problem I faced with my factor has led to me suffering water pouring into my living room.

I have phoned my factor to inform it and complain about this but it just takes its time about sending someone out.

The common close also has rain water coming from the outside and has been reported several times by myself and the other residents but nothing has ever been done to fix the problem.

The other residents are of the same opinion about this factor. Surely we can't all be wrong? MARTIN HAETZMAN, Springboig Security door concern

WHEN I viewed my flat on Millerston Street in Dennistoun in November 2006 before I bought it, I was told the controlled-entry door wasn't working, meaning anyone could enter the close.

I was assured by the seller this was getting fixed and would be by the time I moved in. She also showed me the receipt for her part of the bill.

I moved in to my flat in March 2007 and the door still hadn't been fixed. I have been on the phone to the GHA nearly every month since I moved in to try and get the door fixed.

I have been in to the office on Trongate as well to see if it would make a difference. I'm now finding it difficult to get contents insurance as the flat doesn't have controlled-entry. LYNSEY DAVIDSON, Via e-mail High price to pay

UNFORTUNATELY I think that factors are a necessary evil.

It's all very well for people in communal properties complaining.

But the fact of the matter is that, if they try and get along without a factor, someone always tries to get away without paying their bills.

The result is acrimony and legal disputes with neighbours which can rumble on.

There's no doubt that many of the factors operating today are ripping off their clients by charging way over the odds.

But, even those who complain the most, have to admit that some home-owners simply refuse to accept their responsibilities. H MANNY, Via e-mail