RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: The following changes to the Council Tax premiums on empty and second homes:
(1) That from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2025 the following interim premiums are introduced:
· Properties empty for one year but less than two will not receive a Premium
· Properties empty for more than two years, but less than five years will receive a 100% Premium.
· Properties empty for five years but less than ten years a 150% Premium.
· Properties empty for more than ten years a 200% Premium.
(2) That from 1 April 2025 the Council adopts the following full Premium levy rates:
· Properties empty for one year but less than five will receive a 100% Premium.
· Properties empty for five years but less than ten years a 200% Premium.
· Properties empty for more than ten years a 300% Premium.
(3) That from 1 April 2025 a 100% Premium is levied on all properties that are determined as a second home, subject to any exceptions once these have been confirmed by Regulations and that the Service Director – Customers in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and IT is delegated authority to make any amendments following further confirmation of the Regulations.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS:
(1) To support the principle of bringing unoccupied properties back into occupation in line with the proposed empty homes strategy. At the time of writing there are 43 properties that have been unoccupied for over five years.
(2) The introduction of a phased approach of increasing the premiums enables us to advertise the changes. As the introduction of premiums for properties unoccupied for between one and two years is new there will be no expectation on the owners of these properties of an additional premium and therefore it is recommended that this aspect is deferred until 2025 to allow time to advertise the change.
(3) In respect of a premium on Second Homes the Council is required to give one year’s notice as this is the Councils first determination in this regard and therefore a resolution must be made before the end of the 2023/24 financial year in order to bring in the premium from 01 April 2025.
(4) The Council does have the ability to revoke the decision in relation to Second Homes premium, during the year should any consultation that is carried out provide evidence that this would not be effective.