RESIDENTS at an affordable housing site in Newport are furious after security cameras were installed without their blessing - and they say they were told they may have to foot the bill.

Householders at Liberty Grove, Somerton, could end up paying for the cameras after fire alarms were repeatedly triggered over a two-month period.

Social landlord Fairlake told 18 owners and tenants their monthly service charge could rise if costs to install £4,300 worth of security cameras cannot be met through insurance policies.

It comes after firefighters and police were repeatedly called due to unknown culprits setting alarms off in June and July.

Fairlake approached residents over installing cameras, an they say they refused the offer because of the costs involved beforehand - but the cameras went in anyway.

Gareth Channing, 32, part-owns his two-bedroom flat and pays just under £100 in service charges a month.

He is disappointed Fairlake did not do more to identify the culprits, he says, and gets little back for his monthly payment anyway.

"At one stage we were having an alarm once a week and it was always the fire brigade coming here, turning them off and going," he said.

Steve Gibson, 37, who also part-owns his flat, thought part of the service charge goes to create an emergency ‘sink fund’ and wonders why this could not be used instead.

Another resident, 29, who did not want to be named, also said: "I’m not very happy like the rest of the residents really, because it’s supposed to be affordable housing but it’s not - it’s just going up and up."

A letter from Fairlake dated October 17 said it was still awaiting a decision from insurers regarding the call out activity.

Corporate director Darrell Bolton told the Argus the move to install cameras was made to protect residents.

He said: "At this moment in time, no decision has been made about increasing service charges but in accordance with current legislation, we have given notice that a service charge increase is a possibility."