Error in Community Infrustructure Levy(CIL) paperwork has cost me almost £25k.

mariejader

Please can you help me?

Due to an administration error on my planning applicatation I had been hit with a massive bill from West Berkshire Council for just short of £25k! yes you read that figure correctly.

Although West Berks Council has publicly admitted that had my paperwork been filled in correctly I would have been exempt from this charge (this is on video in the link), but they are refusing to pay me this money back or acknowledge that they could have done more to help rather than just hit me with this for want of a better word "gotcha tax"

At no point did the Council advise me of any missing paperwork in my planning application, had they done so I could have rectified the situation, in fact they waited until after as they called it "the point of no return" to hit me with this charge, talk about sharp practice!

I have also got a letter from The Housing Minister saying this charge can be reviewed at any time, but they won't acknowledge this. I am not the only one in this situation in the area as you will see in the video from ITV Meridian Tonight which is in the attached link.

I really need your help please, I am asking you and begging you to please sign this petition for me, and would also be so grateful if you can forward this link to your friends and family and help me. I have contacted my MP and the Ombudsman have been already been contacted. https://chng.it/HyFqckPW.

I would like to hear from anyone else who has also been caught out with CIL.

Doozergirl

Sounds like the Local Government Ombudsman is your route of action.  

MP and also your local councillor as back up, which you're already doing.  

It is always harder to question things when you've paid, funnily enough.