A pensioner has hit out at Enfield Council over ‘exorbitant’ increases in garage rents that mean he will be forced to move his car elsewhere.

Michael Mercer, of Latymer Road, took on responsibility for his garage from his son two years ago, when the rent was £50 per month.

But since then the cost has soared to £120 per month – and the 76-year-old said he would be looking on the open market for a new place to keep his car.

Mr Mercer accused the council of “screwing pensioners” to find money for other services after being hit by funding cuts from central government.

“I think it is scandalous,” he said. “Old-age pensioners hit with an increase of that magnitude – what are they supposed to do?

“I want to keep the costs to a minimum, and up to now was paying £50 per month. We had a note through the door saying from now on it is going to be £120 per month.

“We have only been given a limited time to find somewhere else.

“They [the council] have given no explanation why they want to screw us all to find money to put into something else.”

Enfield Council claims rents in the borough were increased to reflect market rates.

But Mr Mercer said: “Having looked at other garages from a commercial point of view, we can find other garages in the area at a weekly rate not massively lower than the council’s, but certainly lower.”

He added that he was not prepared to pay twice as much to keep his car in the same place.

An Enfield Council spokesperson said: “Enfield Council has historically charged a very low rent for garages for private users, and, in comparison to garage rents in the open market, our charges are not reflective of the market rates.

“It was therefore decided, that for private users they would be charged a market rent for the use of garages, after a number of years of significantly subsidised rent levels.”