A COUNCIL Tax payer getting a £700 rebate for an extension that never existed, claims hundreds could be in the same position.

Retired policeman Mike Griffiths who has lived at Heol Llanddewi, Little Acton, Wrexham, since 1986, blames failures between council planners and Inland Revenue valuers for the blunder.

He said: “In 2005, the houses on my estate were re-banded for Council Tax and the houses in my immediate area were all uprated. We contacted the council and disagreed but the council were having none of it.

“Recently a neighbour discovered someone in the vicinity had built an extension but was paying less than we were. We contacted the council and demanded an enquiry.

“Someone from the Inland Revenue Valuation Office contacted and visited our houses.”

He added: “He had a scale drawing of the three houses in my road and the neighbours. On ours it showed an extension at the rear which he wanted to see. The problem was we have never had an extension yet the council had us down for one.

“After an examination and him measuring the property he was satisfied and stated we, like the neighbours, were in the wrong band.

“He then explained that for more than 10 years the council has approved planning consents but failed to contact the Inland Revenue valuation department. Consequently, all the properties – more than 700 – will now have to be visited and reassessed.

“We will be getting about £700 in over-paid tax back for what the valuation department say are ‘clerical errors’ but others will be uprated as they built onto their houses and may have to pay back duty.

“This is going to cost the council thousands and it's all their fault, ratepayers will suffer one way or the other.”

A spokeswoman for the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) said: “In Wales, the current bands came into effect on April 1, 2005, and are based on the value on April 1, 2003.

“In Heol Llanddewi, one property has had its band reduced and an additional 23 homes are currently being reviewed to see if a change in banding is required.

“Usually the VOA is able to obtain all the information it requires from its own existing records or the local authority's planning department.

They added: “Most modest improvements do not lead to a higher Council Tax band.”

A spokeswoman for Wrexham County Borough Council said: “Wrexham council does carry out inspections on new properties and extensions where completed, and then reports them to the Valuation Office Agency in Wrexham.

“However, planning permission does not mean an extension will be built. In all cases where the council is aware of an extension either by inspections or reports, it will report them to the VOA.

“However, in most cases this will not increase the banding until the property is sold or there is a revaluation. But if extensions were completed prior to the revaluation on April 1, 2005, then the band can be increased or decreased back to April 1, 2005, by the VOA.

“The authority understands there are a few properties in the Wrexham area in this position. However, this is only 23 and not the 700 as mentioned by Mr Griffiths.”