The backfiring Council Tax Complaint

Published by: This is Money

When John Pigden discovered he was paying more council tax than the neighbours living in identical homes, he was determined to right the injustice. The 69-year-old protested that his council tax was too high and the discrepancy was speedily corrected - but unfortunately not to his benefit. In fact, the pensioner succeeded only in costing his neighbours nearly £30 a month in council tax, after officials ruled it was their properties which were in the wrong tax band. 

'I wouldn't have thought I am the most popular man in the street now,' Mr Pigden said yesterday as he recalled how his efforts to cut his bills had spectacularly backfired. He discovered that out of a dozen identical three-bedroom detached houses in Crest Way in Portslade, East Sussex, only his and a second property were classified as band E. The other ten, which were built in 1992, had been classified in band D. 

The former marketing manager appealed to the Valuation Office Agency against the banding to claim back 15 years of overpayment. Officers visited the road and ruled he was paying the correct amount of council tax - but increased his neighbours' bills by £298 a year from £1,341 to the £1,639 cost for a band E property. 

As council tax is paid over ten months, the increase equated to a monthly rise of £29.80. Mr Pigden said: 'If the Valuation Office has managed to get the majority of the houses on a street wrong there must be an awful lot of people paying the wrong amount. 

'For 15 years no one has noticed that identical houses are paying different council taxes - it's absurd. It's unfair on the two of us who for the last 15 years, through no fault of our own, have been paying a higher rate than anyone else. The whole tax system is unfair. 

Mr Pigden, who lives with wife Susan, 55, discovered the discrepancy when he was talking about the cost of his council tax with a neighbour, who then told him he was paying a cheaper rate. 

He then discovered that only Brenda and Kevin Humphrey, both 52, were also paying the band E rate. Mrs Humphrey, who lives two doors away, said: 'It's quite ironic that John was trying to save us some money but has ended up costing the other neighbours cash instead.' 

Steve Wells, 36, who lives opposite Mr Pigden, is one of those affected by the increased levy. He said: 'The first I heard about it was when John said he was in a different banding and I thought he would get some money back, but that's not what happened. I'm not particularly happy to have to pay this extra money. 

But he added: 'John has done exactly what I would have done so I don't bear him any animosity. He thought he was paying too much and investigated it. Single mother-of-two Catherine Biggs, 46, a part-time teacher, will also have her tax increased. 'I'm really angry,' she said. 'It just seems so unfair that we've had this increase put on us by one person complaining and then it going the wrong way.' 

The under-charged residents will not have to pay the arrears on the shortfall. A Valuation Office spokesman said: 'We have a statutory duty to maintain the accuracy of the list of council tax bands and, as part of our review of Crest Way, have increased the band of ten similar homes in the street from D to E. The residents of these homes have been notified in writing.