But angry public cannot get through to firm

A HELPLINE set up to deal with complaints about rent surcharges is struggling to cope under the pressure.

Fed-up Huddersfield people inundated Estates and Management within minutes of the Examiner publishing the special number.

Many people complained that they couldn't get through or had been forced to leave a message on an answering machine.

The helpline was set up after scores of people contacted the Examiner over extra charges for unpaid ground rent bills.

Many protested they had not received a bill in the first place.

Reader Alan Phillips said: "My wife has tried to phone, but only gets an answering machine, saying they will get back to her later. I wonder if we will hear anything from them?"

Mr Phillips said no-one he had spoken to had received an initial bill from the company.

Estates and Management is demanding administration fees of about of £20 for unpaid bills of just a couple of pounds each.

Mr Phillips added: "Everyone I have spoken to who has their leasehold with this company has received a similar demand from them.

"I can understand one or two people not receiving their bills - but not 100% of the people I have spoken to."

A Government investigation into the firm was urged last year by Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman.

He said there had been a continuing stream of complaints about Estates and Management.

The company collects the rents on freeholds sold off in bulk by Kirklees Council in the 1990s.

Leaseholder Rob Thomason, of Lockwood, said: "There are six people in my street who never had their bills and are now being told to pay the extra charges."

Trevor Sykes, of Marsh, is one man who has escaped the administration charges.

He explained: "I wrote to them on April 2 saying I hadn't had my rent bill.

"After two weeks I hadn't had a reply, so I wrote again and enclosed the payment.

"It's taken them a fortnight to send a receipt in the stamped addressed envelope I gave them."

Estates and Management promised last week that it would look into individual cases.

But the firm said it was up to people to be aware of the due date and amount they had to pay.

Arrears and ground rent manager Mark Guy urged people to phone him on 0208 3495511.