Empty properties
Empty unfurnished properties
If a property is empty and unfurnished you can apply for one month discount of Council Tax. When the discount period ends the full Council Tax charge is payable.
To get the discount you must tell us about the empty property.
If you have recently bought an empty property there may be Council Tax to pay immediately if the discount period has already ended.
An additional amount of Council Tax is charged when a property has been empty for two years or more. From 1 April 2019, the charge is set at 100 per cent. The additional charge was introduced to address the housing shortage by encouraging owners of unoccupied property to bring them back into use more quickly, either through sale or renting.
From 1 April 2019
100 per cent charge for properties empty for two years or more
From 1 April 2020
100 per cent charge for properties empty for two to five years or more
200 per cent charge for properties empty for five years or more
From 1 April 2021
100 per cent charge for properties empty for two to five years 200 per cent charge for properties empty for five to ten years
300 per cent for properties empty for 10 years or more
To apply for an empty unfurnished property discount, please use the online form.
Before you fill in this form
You won't be able to save this form to complete later, so please allow yourself up to 5-10 minutes to fill in the form.
Empty but furnished properties
There is no council tax discount. The full council tax charge is due from the date the property became unoccupied.
Before you fill in this form
You won't be able to save this form to complete later, so please allow yourself up to 5-10 minutes to fill in the form.
Empty because the person has moved to provide care elsewhere
Apply for an exemption if your property is now unoccupied because you have left home to care for another person:
Tell us you're providing care elsewhere
Empty because the person has moved to receive care elsewhere
Apply for an exemption if your property is now unoccupied because you are receiving care elsewhere:
Tell us you're receiving care elsewhere
Unoccupied properties owned by a charity
Dwellings left unoccupied and owned by charities can be exempt for up to six months from the date the last resident moved out, providing it was last used for the purpose of the charity.
The owner or leaseholder must be a registered charity. The property can be furnished or unfurnished.
Unoccupied because occupation is prohibited by law
No Council Tax to pay for a property that is unoccupied. The property must not be occupied because it is forbidden by law.