A disgruntled homeowner is paying nearly £200 more council tax than his neighbour who lives in an identical bungalow almost within touching distance.

Galvin Shuttleworth described the banding system in Coney Furlong, Peacehaven, as "a mess" with many bungalow owners like himself paying more than occupants of three-bedroom properties just yards away.

The taxpayer, whose home is listed as a band D property by Lewes District Council, has appealed that he should be paying band C prices.

Mr Shuttleworth spends £1,559.07 a year on council tax, but his neighbour pays £1,385.84.

He said his curiosity got the better of him when a two-bedroom bungalow in his street was sold with a tax rating of band C.

He researched the council tax history of other properties on his street on the internet where he discovered some properties had been moved from a band D to C on appeal.

Mr Shuttleworth, a renal engineer at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, said other residents now wanted their properties downgraded to band C.

He said: "The bungalow next to mine is exactly the same layout and size.

"It is identical and within two steps of my property, but it is classed as a band C.

"When I contacted the council about it they sent me a letter saying it was based on interior decor as well.

"How can they know?

"They are saying they've been into every home on the street to check how well they are decorated.

"There is a bungalow further down the street which is a band C as well.

"Even some three-bedroom houses further up are classed as band C."

Mr Shuttleworth said he would like some consistency in the council tax banding, based on the value of properties in 1991.

He said: "I'm not doing this out of spite or for financial gain. But I'm worried the council will up everyone's tax bill to band D.

"I just want a bit of fairness as it seems totally ridiculous at the moment."

The married father found out what people paid along his street by going to the Valuation Office Agency website at www.voa.gov.uk.

He added: "Unless you actually look into it you might not even realise you are paying more council tax than your neighbours."

Lewes District Council is to send an officer to view his house this week as part of his appeal.

No one at the council was available for comment, but the authority's website says there are strict rules for valuation band appeals.

It says appellants will have to prove there has been a misunderstanding regarding the value of the property, or that its value relative to other homes in the area has changed.

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