NI Water is being called to announce no preparations are being made to charge for water.

Letters were sent to homes in the Beechmount area asking for "customer details" such as bank information and preferred payment options, according to Sinn Féin.

MP Paul Maskey said residents in several areas of west Belfast have received alarming letters from NI Water informing them that they will receive a bill for water and requesting billing information.

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Mr Maskey said: "This is totally unacceptable and while I accept that NI Water has now come out and apologised and said it has no plans to issue bills for water it still has serious questions to answer.

"NI Water needs to explain how these bills were sent out in the first place. It also needs to state clearly why this information was being requested in the first place.

"If any householders have replied with the information requested then NI Water needs to explain what it now intends to do with this information.

"I am calling on NI Water to write to all residents who received this letter to admit their mistake, apologise and categorically state that they have no plans to introduce water charges."

(CD/JP)