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Four families have appealed for help from ward councillor Bill Risby after receiving the shock demands. One firm has also told householders they must pay them for property insurance.

The demands are being made for the money from people who have paid their mortgages but are still liable for rent payments on the land their house occupies under leasehold arrangements.

Cllr Risby has now called in Blackley MP Graham Stringer to help solve the problem he believes could be affecting hundreds of people in the area.

He said: ?This first cropped up back in 1996 and is a continuous problem. Two different companies are claiming they are entitled to collect the ground rent and, in these four cases, insurance money.

?These are all people who own their homes and are not in arrears with ground rent payments but it seems there is a dispute between two companies about who owns the land.

?I?ve spoken to our MP who is going to investigate. Only four families have come to me but this is probably affecting hundreds in the area.?