We have to pay thousands every year because our flats have balconies

Residents across 17 boroughs overlooking the River Thames have been left fuming over proposed changes that could see them pay thousands more in licence fees for having balconies on their flats.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) is seeking to amend the Port of London Act 1968 - its governing legal framework - through a Harbour Revision Order (HRO), which would alter its charging regime. 

But the move has been slammed as a 'power grab' and a 'racket' designed to 'extract more money from river residents.'

One of the most contentious aspects of the proposal is a steep increase in fees for river work licences, including the installation of balconies overlooking the Thames. Over the past decade, these charges have skyrocketed by over £10,000 per property per year.

At the start of a three-week public inquiry which began last week, objectors criticised the PLA, arguing it operates without sufficient regulation or oversight, allowing it to set prices as it pleases.

Simon Anthony, a retired chartered accountant living at Cubitt Wharf on the Isle of Dogs, branded the PLA's approach 'an abuse of power.'

He fumed: 'The PLA has been abusing its considerable powers unchecked for decades, even bringing a private criminal prosecution in an attempt to extract more money from river residents.

'It's been charging residents ever more extortionate amounts for their balconies, rainwater outfalls, and disused "campsheds", all of which it dubiously classifies as commercial "works".

'For example, these charges are so inflated that residents with balconies are now paying more per square metre than their flats are worth - ten times more per square metre of river than is paid by the hugely profitable London Eye.'

Abel DuCloux, another affected resident who is representing Roneo Wharf, described the situation as a 'Mafia-on-Thames' operation, pointing out the absurdity of being charged for a balcony that merely overhangs the water.

He said: 'There is a question about whether a balcony is a river work in the first place: the balcony does not rest on the water nor float on it. 

'The PLA claims to own the riverbed when in fact they may hold it in trust but not necessarily be entitled to charge for trespass, i.e., overhang.

'One of my neighbours is being asked around £3,000 per year for a balcony of the same size. The owner of the flat directly above me pays five times what I pay for the same size balcony. The reason the PLA can get away with this is that they are a monopoly and answer to no one.'

James Haas, a resident managing the situation for 24 apartments at Oliver's Wharf, revealed that charges for their balconies have surged by over £10,000 in recent years.

'In 2016, we got a letter from the Port of London Authority saying they had forgotten to apply the reviews, and therefore we would have to retroactively be charged for what they would have charged us had the review taken place. This meant the charges were going to go up by 60 or 70 percent in one go,' he explained.

While he initially fought the increase, the threat of an expensive legal battle they could lose, forced residents to accept the higher fees. 

He warned: 'If this compound annual growth rate continues for the next 20 years, we will be paying £65,000 for our balconies.'

David Beaumont from the Organisation of PLA Customers exposed the shocking scale of the hikes, stating that some residents had seen their fees rise by 500 percent. 

He condemned the move as a blatant attempt by an 'unregulated, self-serving QUANGO' to increase its financial grip on river users.

He said: 'The PLA, as it is now, was created by their own Private Act of Parliament in 1968. Their 2025 Harbour Revision Order (HRO) is a power grab, significantly increasing the legal privileges they arranged for themselves in 1968—but this time without the inconvenience of having to go through Parliament.'

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Ralph Hardwick, who spoke on behalf of the River Residents Group at the public enquiry last week argued that the HRO would empower the PLA to gain more revenue while sidestepping vital environmental responsibilities. 

He said: 'The HRO seeks more power and revenue for the PLA while declining to strengthen its engagement with pollution arising from the use of the Thames by the vessels it permits and licenses or its transparency and accountability.'

He added: 'The PLA claims its aim is to leave the Thames better than it found it and we applaud that aim. But we say that this is not the HRO for that task.'

However, the PLA has defended its actions, stating that its approach follows the Department for Transport's guidance for harbour authorities to 'keep their powers… under review.'

The inquiry follows an earlier public consultation between August and October 2021, during which several objections were raised to the PLA's proposals. 

The PLA, which has managed the Thames since its creation in 1908, oversees a massive 248 square kilometres of waterway. 

A PLA spokesperson said: 'The Port of London is the UK’s biggest port and busiest inland waterway. It is essential to the country’s growth, bringing in goods from around the globe. It is also a hub for environmental innovation and home to river communities.

'In 2019, the PLA proposed measures to modernise the 60-year-old Port of London Act under which we operate. Proposals include adding email as an accepted form of communication, removing outdated roles and responsibilities that haven’t been relevant for many years, and reflecting changes in environmental legislation and agencies.

'The Harbour Revision Order does not contain any proposals relating to the amount charged for apartment balconies overhanging the River Thames.

'The process has been running and consulted on over the last six years, and we welcome this final stage to help finalise updates to protect and improve the tidal Thames for all - including people with balconies over the river - and enable us to support the UK’s growth, as modern operations and cutting-edge technology accelerate the changes in trade and shipping traffic.

'For several months we have been offering to sit down with balcony owners to talk about how we charge for property over the Thames and that offer remains open.'