I AM writing with reference to a Dudley Council letter dated January 2014, concerning the increase of my council tax from 100% to 150% on April 1 because my property has been empty for more than two years.

While I appreciate empty properties can look unsightly and are potential homes, my house is empty because it has been a part-time renovation project since 2010.

At the age of 25, I struggled to buy the house on one salary and have received no grants from the Government.

The property was in a bad state, has been practically rebuilt and since it is steeped in local history, I have also put back many original features – all of this being done at weekends.

Putting aside the impact this will have on my already tight budget, I am angered the council is tarring me with the same brush as people who actively leave properties derelict. Secondly, the back of the letter lists the many people exempt from paying Council Tax, including those who have gone to prison.

This is another example of how unfair society is and that despite how much effort you put in, the average hard-working person still manages to be worse off.

AJ MURPHY Quarry Bank