Council Tax to treble on homes empty for five years

OWNERS of homes left empty for longer than five years are to see their council tax bills treble from next spring.

Council bosses in Rochdale have voted to take full advantage of new government rules allowing local authorities to impose a 200 per cent premium on the properties.

The move is intended to pressure owners to sell up or rent the dwellings - which often become eyesores - bringing much-needed homes back into use.

It is also expected to raise an additional £125,000 in council tax income during the 2020/21 financial year.

It comes after council tax bills were doubled in April for homes left empty for longer than two years.

But of the 238 properties currently subject to the 100pc premium, some 61 have been empty for longer than five years and a further 34 in excess of 10 years.

Council leader Allen Brett told a cabinet meeting he was completely behind the trebling of council tax for long-term empty properties.

He said: “I’m 300pc in favour. This is another weapon in our armoury to try and bring properties back into use.”

A report to cabinet says advantages of bringing more properties back into use includes improving housing conditions and reducing anti-social behaviour that empty homes tend to attract.

Coun Brett said the move would improve the quality of life for those ‘unfortunate enough to live next door to somebody who is neglecting their property.’

And he told how he had happened upon a house in terrible condition while recently out canvassing.

“I’ve seen some bad ones, but I have never seen one as bad as that - why anybody would leave a property empty for this length of time, I have no idea,” he said.

He admitted he had come under pressure from residents to do more to address the issue, but said ‘human rights’ gave people the right to neglect their properties, making it difficult to take effective action.

From April 2021, the government is also increasing the maximum empty property premium charge to 300pc for homes that have been empty in excess of 10 years.