Unoccupied homes set to be charged double Council Tax after 1 year

On Monday (29 February) Doncaster Council’s cabinet is set to reduce the length of time a property can be empty before the owners are charged a Council Tax premium.

Homes that have been empty for over one year will now be subject to a premium, rather than two years previously.

Those with these homes will be required to pay a 100 percent premium, or double the property’s usual Council Tax rate.

It comes after the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 reduced the time period before an additional premium could be added nationally.

Homes can now be subject to the premium whether they are unfurnished or furnished under the act, whereas it only applied to unfurnished properties previously.

The policy aims to encourage owners to bring empty properties back into use to reduce housing shortages.

It also aims to reduce issues associated with empty properties such as vandalism and trespassing.

Some 600 homes are currently subject to the premium in Doncaster.

A further 634 would be subject under the change, although it is expected that this number will reduce ahead of it coming into effect.

Several types of properties are exempt from the charge, including those left unoccupied by someone who has gone to live in a care home or receive personal care, and those who belong to someone who has recently died.

If approved by council, the change will come into effect from 1 April 2024.