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Councils to get powers to crank up council tax on empty homes
English councils are to gain powers to charge up to quadruple council tax on empty homes, the government has announced.
Legislation introduced in March allowed for double council tax on property left empty for two years or more.
But James Brokenshire, housing secretary, has said he will extend this to also allow triple council tax on homes left empty for five to 10 years and quadruple on those unoccupied for longer.
The Local Government Association, which represents English councils, has been lobbying for this move.
Mr Brokenshire said: “By equipping councils with the right tools to get on with the job, we could potentially provide thousands more families with a place to call home.”
He said these measures were based on the success of the 50% council tax premium on homes empty for more than six months, which was introduced in 2013.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said there are now just over 200,000 in England that have been empty for six months or more, against 300,000 in 2010.
The proportion of homes eligible for this premium has fallen by 9% in council areas that have consistently charged it, MHCLG said.
In all, 291 out of 326 councils applied an empty homes premium in 2017/18, with all but three charging the maximum 50% rate.
Guidance will be issued to deal with issues of low-demand areas and complex regeneration schemes.
The amendment was made during the third reading of the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill in the House of Lords.
