A Methilhill man has questioned the legality of Fife Council’s decision to increase his council tax.
Michael Noordijk (60), of Dunsire Street, has had his council tax band increased from an A to a B, meaning his annual payments have increased from £1008 to £1176.
He claimed he was one of three unlucky householders, out of 21 in his street, who had been subjected to the change.
The council reassessed some properties after a member of the public complained about “discrepancies” in banding.
“I can’t understand why Fife Council have decided to penalise three houses out of 21 that share the same postcode,” said Mr Noordijk.
“Everybody else is in band A and three houses have been changed to band B when the houses are all the same. I don’t know why we are being targeted.”
A council assessor has agreed to visit Mr Noordijk to discuss his concerns. He said he understood council tax bands increased when an extension is added to the house and it is sold on.
Although an extension was built on to his home by a previous owner around 1993, it has since been owned by other people, including himself for the past 10 years.
“Why all of a sudden the increase in banding?” he asked.FrozenAll 32 of Scotland’s local authorities have frozen their council tax bills for the past three years and the payments are set to be frozen again this year.
Mr Noordijk said given the freeze he did not know how the council could justify increasing his bills by £168.
He added, “They’ve done this with select addresses so it doesn’t raise the alarm, and in doing so the council is trying to increase its revenue in a stealthy way.”
Mr Noordijk said his letter from the council seemed to suggest the payments would be backdated to June 2007 and he was anxious about footing such a steep bill.
However, Fife Council’s assistant assessor Jim Easton said the changes would be dated from March 1 of this year.
He added, “We are reappraising a number of council tax bands in this area as it was brought to our attention that there could be discrepancies.
“The assessor has a duty to make sure that the system is as fair and equitable as possible, within legislation, and we have therefore notified a number of council taxpayers that their dwellings have increased from band A to band B.
“Letters were issued to taxpayers last week confirming that any increase in payments will only take effect from March 1, 2011. No arrears payments are due.
“Taxpayers do have the right to lodge a proposal as a first stage in an appeal process against the new banding.”