Council Tax

samno31

I currently own a property that i have up for sale. I have moved away from the area so no one is living in it and hasnt been for 2 years. Doncaster Council have wrote to me to say that because my property has been unoccupied for more than 2 years then you have to pay 150% council tax. How is this fair??? I dont use any of the council facilities ( bin collection etc....) How can they do this??? Its not like i want the property to be sat there i want to sell it and get rid! Is this legal???

geordie_joe

samno31 wrote: »

I currently own a property that i have up for sale. I have moved away from the area so no one is living in it and hasnt been for 2 years. Doncaster Council have wrote to me to say that because my property has been unoccupied for more than 2 years then you have to pay 150% council tax.

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/10027/empty_properties/5267/council_tax_charges_on_empty_properties_and_second_homes/1

samno31 wrote: »

How is this fair???

It's to discourage people leaving property unoccupied when there are homeless people.

samno31 wrote: »

I dont use any of the council facilities ( bin collection etc....) How can they do this???

I would think the government told them to do it, so don't blame them, blame the two jokers in power.

samno31 wrote: »

Its not like i want the property to be sat there i want to sell it and get rid!

I expect the two jokers would tell you to try harder, or rent it out.

samno31 wrote: »

Is this legal???

Yes, and you'll probably find it would be illegal for the council not to do it.

gb12345

I wonder what would happen if someone was to "move into" the property and register for council tax.:cool:

I've never been asked for proof of new tenants moving into my properties after a short empty period, but don't know what would happen in your situation.

CIS

I've never been asked for proof of new tenants moving into my properties after a short empty period, but don't know what would happen in your situation.

Most councils are now increasing checks to prevent people from doing this.

Yes, and you'll probably find it would be illegal for the council not to do it.

Not quite, the local government finance act 2012 gives the council the option to increase the charge on long term empty properties but its at the council's discretion.

emmaglet

Yea sorry...it has to be paid.

I was in a similar situation with Cheshire West and Chester council, I ended up owing £3k because I didn't know I would need to pay it and they didn't 'catch up' with me til years later. I ended up paying on a payment plan and was finally free last September.

Sorry if this is a biy helpy, but in the end we got an empty property grant to do the house up to rent. It wasn't in a good enough state beforehand. If you rent to private tenants you got something like £2k max and for social tenants you were eligible for £5k. As they put it, it was for functional items like a new boiler, bathroom suite, electrical work, but not for the 'frilly' things like carpet and paint. I sent my Dad up for a couple of months and he did most of the work himself and we had a tenant before it was finished - someone saw us doing the house up and his daughter expressed interest in moving in. The house had been empty for 3 years previous to that.