A LEGAL battle between leaseholders in Oxford's five towers and Oxford City Council over five-figure repair bills is to finally get under way.

More than 12 months after they were first notified some 51 households are squaring up to the possibility of paying up to £60,000 for renovation work.

On Wednesday some of those affected will travel to the property courts in Cambridge to put their fate in the hands of a judge at a first-tier tribunal.

Oxford Tower Leaseholders' Association (OTLA) chairman Darren Hazell, said: "We are fully prepared with our legal team to take the fight to Cambridge.

"People that own their flats are still very worried and there are still concerns about how it's going to go."

In December 2015 it emerged that provisional bills of £40,000 to £60,000 would be sent to leaseholders as part of Oxford City Council's ongoing £20m towers regeneration.

The council applied for a determination on whether charges were fair, initially set to take place in spring 2016, then delayed until the autumn and finally until early 2017.

Mr Hazell said: "It has been a long slog and it will continue to be. I don't think this is going to go away next week and we have no illusions the council are going to roll over."

A handful of leaseholders from Evenlode, Windrush, Hockmore, Plowman and Foresters towers will make their case on Wednesday along with solicitors.

Stefan Piechnik, who bought his flat in Plowman Tower in 2012, said he was refusing to allow contractors Fortem onto his property until the case was settled.

He said: "The council has never produced a document saying what's wrong with our flats that needs repair. They haven't been able to produce a list of costings.

"To the best of my knowledge I can replace windows for £500 apiece. I'm pretty sure I can arrange a workman, and they have refused."

Mr Piechnik added that OTLA members planning to speak at the tribunal were coming from slightly different angles but should have had a determination long ago.

He said: "In the second stage of consultation I said Oxford City Council should not enter into a binding agreement until accounts were released to leaseholders, because we don't know what we are getting. That was in 2015."

Stephen Clarke, the council's head of housing and property services, said: "The first hearing will take place on Wednesday, February 22 at the first tier tribunal at Cambridge County Court.

"This will deal with the legal issues that have been raised as part of the process and the various submissions made by the leaseholders and their representatives.

"This hearing is a major step towards leaseholders being given certainty about the contribution they will have to pay towards the repairs."