TENANTS in Hartlepool affected by the Government's decision to seek the winding-up of three property management companies operating in the town have been given advice by council officials.

They have moved to ease the anxiety of householders following the High Court's appointment of the Official Receiver as provisional liquidator in respect of PPP Limited, Practical Portfolios Limited and Napeer Holdings Limited.

There are three telephone numbers - 0800 6343011, 0800 6343012 and 0800 6343013 - which allow tenants to contact chartered accountants BDO Stoy Hayward, the recently-appointed special managers of the companies' estate and business.

Bernard Williams, Hartlepool Borough Council's director of neighbourhood services, said: "We are aware of rumours circulating around the town and we are receiving increasing numbers of telephone calls from anxious tenants.

"We want to ensure they know how to obtain reliable and up-to-date information."

The companies' operations involved them offering to source and manage buy-to-let properties for private investors.

They are known to have been managing about 80 properties upon which the council was paying housing benefit and it is thought they were also responsible for at least 180 others which are unoccupied.

The winding-up petition in respect of the three companies is due to be heard next Wednesday and follows investigations by the Department of Trade and Industry under the Companies Act 1985.

The special managers have now terminated the contractual and agency obligations of PPP Limited, Practical Property Portfolios and Napeer Holdings Limited, and property owners are being advised to make their own arrangements with immediate effect.

The three companies no longer have responsibility for collecting rents and tenants are being warned not o hand over money to callers purporting to represent the companies.

Housing benefit payments relating to affected properties have also been suspended by the council and owners are being advised to contact their tenants directly set up new claims.