NEIGHBOURS in an Oxford street have been reimbursed after an Oxford Mail investigation revealed they had been paying too much council tax.

Residents in Mortimer Road, Rose Hill have been paid back the undisclosed sum after it emerged their identical homes were on different payment bands.

Some 22 were classed as band C while 18 were on cheaper band B and three at band A.

Last night the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), which sets bands, said of the 22 band C properties, 15 would move to the band B. One would move from A to B.

It means bills at the 15 will fall from about £1,400 to £1,200 a year. Council bosses refused to say how much cash had been paid back.

The other band C properties would not change as home improvements had added to their value, the VOA said. Bands are set according to the property’s value in 1991.

Spokesman Kathryn Montague said: “Following the review, we have reduced the bands on fifteen homes and increased the band on one home.

“We made this change because, although some properties had been improved at the time they were banded, which resulted in them being placed in a higher band, we are now satisfied that the difference in value between those that had been improved and those that had not been improved was not sufficient to warrant a higher band.

“The Valuation Office Agency has responsibility for correcting any inaccurate council tax bands when they are brought to our attention.”

Homes in neighbouring Court Farm Road and Nowell Road houses are all band B, with an average bill of £1,200.

Samantha Curran, who is among the 15 band C residents now in the cheaper band B, said she got back about £1,000. She said: “I am obviously pleased they have decided to lower the bands as we are all in the same houses.”

The post-war prefabricated homes were built by the local authority in 1947-48. Some are owned by Oxford City Council while others have been bought by tenants.

While some have been converted into flats, most have three bedrooms, with the option for a fourth bedroom downstairs.

The council, which is responsible for reimbursing residents, refused to tell the Oxford Mail how much had been repaid as it was not an ‘effective use of its officer’s time’.

The VOA said any residents with concerns should get in touch and neighbouring properties would be reviewed. Increases to more expensive bands would not be backdated, it said.

Contact the VOA on 0845 602 1507.

awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk