QUESTION: What action is considered a crime in the UK that can result in:
- a fine: up to hundreds of thousands of £
- potential seizure and sale of your family home
- committal of up to 3 months in prison ?
……………………with no right of appeal ?
ANSWER:Nothing more than an unintentional admin error in not submitting a CIL commencement notice before you commence work to build a home extension – you may not even be aware you are required to do so. The consequences of an admin error is terminal – its a grave injustice
- If the COUNCIL make a mistake – they are obligated to correct it and there is no consequence on them !
- If YOU make a mistake , even an unintentional mistake – its terminal , you will be financially crippled for life and the impact on your long therm heath is immeasurable !
HMRC Tax: becomes due through receiving income, not because of an admin error on your tax return !
Not so with CIL: as a home owner its not what you build: Its whether you get your paperwork correct before you commence – its a grave injustice
We are trusting in the Rt Hon Matthew Pennycook to fix it – soon
If you are a home owner and have been impacted by CIL, whether you live in Waverley of any other Council please get in touch by emailing help@cil-injustice.co.uk
A National Scandal – the immoral injustice of CIL
“It was never intended to be used in this way ”
Rt Hon Matthew Pennycook Minister of State for Housing
It’s being talked about as the next National Scandal with similarities to the Post Office Scandal.
A Public Body, in this case Local Councils, using powers granted to them under current Legislation to raise monies to fund community infrastructure projects without asking the question – are these decisions moral and just?
Some Local Authorities have been ruthless in pursuing homeowners, threatening seizure and sale of their homes and committal to prison if they do not pay a life changing, financially crippling levy through trying to improve their homes in which they live.
Home extensions, residential annexes and self build homes were intended to be exempt from CIL, however this exemption has to be granted before the work commences. Where the Council deem the work has already commenced before a critical “commencement notice” has been submitted, not only will a homeowner potentially lose their home, and possibly be committed to prison, they will also be hit with thousands of pounds of surcharges and late interest payments on home improvements that should be exempt.
Councils in response will blame legislation and say there is nothing they can do. They have no discretionary powers. They are wrong!
“Homeowners have been forced to sell their homes because they cannot pay these eye watering charges” – Gregory Stafford MP Farnham and Bordon
Rt Hon M. Pennycook-Minister for Housing
“CIL was NEVER intended to be used in this way!” 15th July 2025
Mr Douglas Edwards KC opinion: “Councils can withdraw Liability Notice for whatever reasons they see as appropriate “
-which includes homeowner error!
BBC South Today:
HMRC will show much more compassion, discretion and understanding when someone makes a paperwork error even a deliberate error – than Waverley Borough Council who operate a “draconian” CIL Policy and should zero tolerance, zero discretion to home owners, using powers granted to them which have resulted in residents being forced to sell their homes to pay life changing CIL liabilities for which they should have been granted exemption!
Homeowners ARE EXEMPT providing….
Horsham Council state they “have acted in accordance with legislation and have no discretionary powers”
Jeff Brooks Leader of West Berkshire Council answered on BBC Kent in response to Horsham District Council “They are wrong!”
Jeff was interviewed on BBC South today last August (2024) saying “it’s not right”. After many years of fighting this position in May 2024 West Berkshire led the way and implemented an Enforcement Policy which respects that homeowners should be exempt and also introduced a 12 month discretionary period where homeowners who had fallen on the wrong side of this legislation and found themselves having to pay CIL charges, could request a review of their position and, if agreed, would be refunded all monies paid. Many have already been repaid!
- Title:West Berkshire Sets the Standard: How One Council Righted the CIL Wrong
Summary: Kennet Radio’s Stella Coulthurst interviews homeowner Maria Dobson, former councillor Claire Rowles, and council leader Jeff Brooks about West Berkshire’s CIL scandal and how it was resolved.- Maria describes nine years of distress after being wrongly charged £20,000 for a paperwork error.
- Claire recounts her fight within the council to expose the injustice and stand up for residents despite political pressure.
- Jeff Brooks explains how, as council leader, he launched a formal review, refunded affected residents around £300,000, and set a national precedent for fairness.
- The discussion ends with Maria continuing the campaign nationally through the CIL Injustice Group.
Kennet radio link 3rd October 2025 [starts 10 minutes in]: https://kennet.redio.co/listen/again?date=Sat,%2004%20Oct%202025%2010:00:00%20GMT]
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