AROUND 2,500 people had double the amount of council tax taken from their accounts by Barnet Council last Friday in the latest error to hit the department.

The error was discovered about an hour after the direct debit, the council’s preferred payment method, was taken from hundreds of bank accounts.

It is the third problem to hit the authority’s billing this since the start of the month, after residents were sent bills without a vital barcode and several were sent duplicate invoices for the same amount.

Councillor Daniel Thomas, in charge of finances, said everyone had been affected has been written to and all money will be paid back by today.

He added: “One hour after realising this problem we started the process of reimbursing those residents.

“They obviously have my sincere apologies, and we’ll make sure there is no financial cost to any residents as a result of this.”

Were you affected by this error? Contact reporter Alex Hayes on 07795 223 610 or email ahayes@london.newsquest.co.uk.