If your property is left empty for up to 1 month, you can apply for an empty property Council Tax discount.
If your property is left empty for up to 1 year, you will need to pay your regular Council Tax instalments.
Long-term empty properties premium
If you own a property and it has been empty and unfurnished for:
- one year or more – you will be charged an extra 100 per cent council tax on top of the full Council Tax for the property (a 200 per cent Council Tax charge)
- five years or more – you will be charged an extra 200 per cent Council Tax on top of the full Council Tax for the property (a 300 per cent Council Tax charge)
- 10 years or more – you will be charged an extra 300 per cent Council Tax on top of the full Council Tax for the property (a 400 per cent Council Tax charge)
The additional charge can only be removed by bringing your property back into use.
Empty properties that do not have to pay the premium
You will not have to pay the premium if your property:
- has been left empty by a member of the armed services, who is away from the property as a result of their service
- forms part of a single property, for example, an annexe
- is being actively marketed for sale (12 months limit)
- is being actively marketed for let (12 months limit)
- has recently been granted probate – 12 months from date probate was granted
- requires or is undergoing major repairs or structural alterations (12 months limit)
If your bill shows a long-term empty premium and you think that your property is in one of these categories, then contact us straight away.