DOZENS of defiant over-fifties living at a residential park are being taken to court for refusing to pay a rent increase.

The owners of Kings Park Village, off Creek Road, Canvey, are taking 79 residents to Southend County Court because they are refusing to cough up the cash to cover a 4.8 per cent pitch rent rise.

Residents pay up to £185,000 to buy one and two bedroom chalets on the park, but also pay rent for their pitches. Some people are facing a monthly bill of up to £270 since the rise.

The residents say the rent rise, which was imposed last March and is set in line with the retail price index inflation rate for December 2010, is not justified because facilities at the park have gone downhill in recent years. The park’s popular former piano bar, cafe, taxi rank, and a children’s playground have been shut-down or removed.

Residents also claimed they were given assurances their clubhouse would be extended and a new doctors’ surgery built within the site, but this never happened.

A retired man, who lives on the site and asked to remain anonymous, said: “The piano bar used to have really good singers, excellent entertainment. It was a big attraction for people who moved here.

“We can’t afford the increase and think they should show more compassion, especially to elderly people.”

Residents have been paying the old rent price for the past year, but are being taken to court for refusing to pay the extra amount.

A retired woman, who also asked to remain anonymous, said: “Most residents only owe them something like £100 in total, yet they’re putting us through all this stress over that small amount.

“If the rent keeps going up, we won’t be able to pay and no one will want to buy our homes off us. We’re worried they’ll throw us out. There will be homeless old people on the streets.”

Millionaire businessman Jeff King sold the site in 2007 to its current owners, Kings Park Village LLP.

Belinda Briddock, office manager for Kings Park Village LLP, said: “The rent increase was in line with the retail price index.

“The majority of facilities residents are complaining about were taken away before the current owners purchased the site.”

The court case will be heard on March 30.