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Whole street receives tax refund Whole streets receive tax refund
(about 10 hours later)
Residents of a street in the Borders are to get council tax rebates after years of being wrongly banded. Residents of three streets in the Borders are to get council tax rebates after years of being wrongly banded.
Anyone who has lived on the road in Galashiels since 1993 will be entitled to some cash back. Anyone who has lived on Primrose Bank, Marigold Drive and Aster Court in Galashiels since 1993 is entitled to some cash back.
Scottish Borders Council has declined to name the street - for what it insists are "sound legal reasons". Scottish Borders Council had initially declined to name the streets involved.
The error has already cost the local authority about £100,000 after the homes were given the wrong banding some 15 years ago.The error has already cost the local authority about £100,000 after the homes were given the wrong banding some 15 years ago.
Last year, after a successful appeal to the local assessor, the homes were rebanded from band B to band A.Last year, after a successful appeal to the local assessor, the homes were rebanded from band B to band A.
The council had to give back about £100,000 to residents who had overpaid.The council had to give back about £100,000 to residents who had overpaid.
We have a duty to ensure that anyone who has overpaid council tax gets that money back and we are making sure that happens Council spokesman We have amended every council tax account on every property which was rebanded back to April 1993. Council spokesperson
Letters and cheques have gone out to those who live in the street now.Letters and cheques have gone out to those who live in the street now.
Former householders who have moved on are also entitled to the refunds and officials must now try to trace them all.Former householders who have moved on are also entitled to the refunds and officials must now try to trace them all.
The council has refused to say exactly which street is concerned - insisting that the Data Protection Act precludes any publicity. A council spokesperson said: "We have amended every council tax account on every property which was rebanded back to April 1993.
An SBC spokesman said: "We have a duty to ensure that anyone who has overpaid council tax gets that money back and we are making sure that happens. "Where a council tax payer was due a refund and we could trace them a letter was issued to them advising them of this which was followed by a cheque.
"We strongly refute any suggestion that we are withholding the name of the affected street for anything other than sound legal reasons. "Where council tax payers were not due a refund but had their liability reduced new council tax bills were issued to them."
"We have amended every council tax account on every property which was rebanded back to April 1993."