Council Tax on uninhabitable properties
The Council Tax bill will be reduced by 50 per cent for a maximum of 12 months providing the empty property is either:
- Undergoing major repair work or structural alteration, or
- Needs major repair work to make it habitable
The 50 per cent discount will not apply unless the work is structural or major.
To receive the major repair/structural alterations discount you need to notify us promptly of any structural alterations because we may need to visit the property.
If you are intending to buy a property that is in need of structural alterations or major repair work there may be Council Tax to pay immediately if the 12 month discount period has already ended.
Before you fill in this form
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After 12 months, the full Council Tax charge is payable even if your property is still uninhabitable.
Charges for properties empty for two years or more
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.
| Length of time empty | From 1 April 2019 | From 1 April 2020 | From 1 April 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two to five years | 100% charge | 100% charge | 100% charge |
| Five to 10 years | 100% charge | 200% charge | 200% charge |
| 10 years or more | 100% charge | 200% charge | 300% charge |
