HUDDERSFIELD people faced with demands for ground rent surcharges are being urged: Tell them you're not paying.

Advice workers have come up with the guidance after getting scores of complaints about Estates and Management.

The London-based firm has slapped extra charges of £20 on hundreds of people it claims are late in paying their annual rent.

Most of those faced with the demands have told how they never had a bill in the first place.

The Citizens Advice Bureau office in Huddersfield has been flooded with calls from worried leaseholders.

Now draft letters are being handed out by the bureau telling people how to respond.

John Robinson, who lives in Dalton, said: "I'm hoping it will do the trick.

"I've never had an invoice for my ground rent and there's no way I'm going to pay their additional charges."

Estates and Management collects rents on freeholds sold off by Kirklees Council in the 1990s.

The Ramsden estate land was sold to the old Huddersfield Corporation in 1920 for £1.35m.

It earned Huddersfield the label of "the town that bought itself".

Workers at the Citizens Advice Bureau are urging that replies to Estates and Management are sent by recorded delivery.

The standard letter states that the additional administration fee is not being paid as a rent invoice was not sent - as the law demands.

Complaints are still coming in to the Examiner about the rent.

Sarah Toes, of Cowcliffe, said: "I too received an arrears letter last Tuesday demanding my annual ground rent of 75p and a £20 administration fee for not paying it on time.

"I certainly received no initial letter asking me for payment and was furious that they were demanding £20 and threatening to add more charges if I did not pay.

"I telephoned the Leasehold Advisory Service on 02074909580 and was assured that Estates and Management were completely out of order and unreasonable, and that they would be unable to take any action against me if I did not pay."

Estates and Management promised last week to look into individual inquiries.

The firm's arrears manager Mark Guy said people should phone him direct.

Sheila Braithwaite, of Almondbury, said: "We received a bill for £20.12 last week - this being 12p for a bill which we did not receive plus £20 admin fee.

"We rang Mark Guy and left a message on his answering machine on Friday asking him to call us - as yet we are still waiting."

Eileen Galvin, of Paddock, said: "I have sent my £3.84 ground rent but refused to pay the £20 as it is not my fault. I'm just wondering what they'll try to charge us next year."

Dorothy Keyworth, of Deighton, has a different problem. She paid her £8 ground rent - only to have the cheque lost by Estates and Management.

Mrs Keyworth said: "They sent me a receipt for it then admitted it had been misplaced.

"Now they are trying to charge me another £20 because they say I'm late in paying."

Examiner reader Ruth Elliott phoned the firm to complain after getting a £20 demand on top of her £2.54 annual ground rent.

She said: "The operator said that she could reduce the admin fee from £20 to £10 and, knowing that they would never give up, I paid up. I have faith in myself that I did not receive the original invoice. I feel that I have had £10 scammed out of me and I am very cross."