SSB Law collapse: Plea for help over homeowners' huge legal bills

Qurrah Ahmed has set up a support group after being contacted online by other householders

Hundreds of people who are facing huge legal bills after a law firm collapsed have pleaded with the government to step in and take urgent action.

Clients were assured their cases were taken on a no-win, no-fee basis but have been hit with bills up to £50,000.

Antony Higginbotham, MP for Burnley, raised the issue in Parliament after a BBC investigation exposed the matter.

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said she would write to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

More than 1,400 people could be affected after Sheffield-based SSB Law went into administration.

Many have told the BBC they "cannot sleep" because of the bills and were frightened to answer their doors in case they were visited by bailiffs.

Their compensation claims against cavity wall insulation companies were taken on by the firm, which assured them they would not have to pay if the cases failed.

But huge bills landed on their doorsteps from the insulation firms' insurance companies when the company collapsed.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) previously said it was investigating but the law firm's clients continue to face an uncertain future over the debt.

Diane Longworth, from Burnley, Lancashire, received a bill for £7,184.35, leaving her feeling "scared".

"I was a bit too hasty paying it but I just panicked," said the 63-year-old, who works in retail.

She said she had used all of her life savings to pay the bill and now felt like she "could not trust anyone".

"I wish now I hadn't paid," she added.

Hundreds of clients have been sent huge demands for money

Taxi driver Jamil Zafar, from Halifax, was told he owes more than £18,900.

The 49-year-old said he had been brought to tears after the bailiffs turned up at his home twice while his son was present.

He said his son later said "I don't want to end up homeless".

"Being a taxi driver, how do I pay this amount of money?

"It has broken me from inside. I can't even work properly.

"The figure is in my mind all the time."

Qurrah Ahmed, from Leigh, set up a support group after her 70-year-old father was told he owed £13,000.

She said she had been "inundated" with messages with people getting in touch every day.

"We have people messaging us at 03:00, 04:00 as they can't sleep as the anxiety is eating them up," she said.

"It is absolutely shocking.

"These people are not functioning unfortunately. Their mental health is severely affected.

"One lady was hospitalised because of the impact it is having on her mental health

"It is just having absolutely devastating effects on people."

Mr Higginbotham said the majority of residents had no means on paying

Conservative MP Mr Higginbotham highlighted the matter during a parliamentary debate in the Commons on Thursday.

He told BBC North West Tonight he felt like he "needed to stand up and say something".

"These are life-changing sums of money that people are being asked to pay with almost no notice.

"Many of the demands I've seen basically ask for immediate payment."

Responding to his statement in the Commons, Ms Mordaunt described the situation as "appalling".

"The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities might also be able to assist, perhaps with some of the schemes that it has in place to help to regenerate communities and tackle some of these issues," she said.

"I will write to the department and ask whether it can assist him."

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