Empty Property Premium Sandwell Council

busybe

My dad bought a reposesed house last year that had been empty for some years.

The house was inhabitable, roof needed replacing and ceilngs repaired, etc.
Sandwell council have added on 50% empty homes premium to his council tax bill.
Can they do this?
The house had been empty for 2+ years but not whilst in my dads possession?

He has queried this with them & they say that the premium is attached to the property & not the owner?

I expect the house was "exempt" from council tax before as it was a reposesion.

Is what the council saying correct or is some admin person just fobbing my dad off? We had emailed them nearly 2 weeks ago and not had a reply?

red_flump

From their website:

Empty Homes Premium

Any property which is left empty for a period of two years or more may be subject to an Empty Homes Premium charge. This means from 1st April 2013 any properties that have been left empty for more than two years will be liable for the normal 100% Council Tax charge plus an additional 50%. The 150% charge will continue until the property is no longer empty.

This is nationwide, although it is down to individual councils how to implement it.

[Deleted User]

busybe wrote: »

My dad bought a reposesed house last year that had been empty for some years.

The house was inhabitable, roof needed replacing and ceilngs repaired, etc.
Sandwell council have added on 50% empty homes premium to his council tax bill.
Can they do this?
The house had been empty for 2+ years but not whilst in my dads possession?

He has queried this with them & they say that the premium is attached to the property & not the owner?

I expect the house was "exempt" from council tax before as it was a reposesion.

Is what the council saying correct or is some admin person just fobbing my dad off? We had emailed them nearly 2 weeks ago and not had a reply?

What was the reason for your dad buying this uninhabitable property that requires a new roof & ceilings, etc.

It's most unlikely that a mortgagee in possession would have held onto a property for 2+ years before disposal, whilst it falls into rack & ruin.

It's similarly unlikley that a mortgagee would allow a property they had lent money against to sit empty and unoccupied, especially if the mortgage was not being paid, particularly if it needs a new roof ... because as a minimum the insurance company would require the property to be maintained to a reasonable condition.

CIS

Is what the council saying correct or is some admin person just fobbing my dad off? We had emailed them nearly 2 weeks ago and not had a reply?

The council are correct - the empty property premium depends solely on the state of the property and not on the owner.

One of the reasons this is done would be to stop the owners transferring properties around to stop the premium being incurred.

The premium only only applies for a property which is unoccupied and unfurnished. If the property was furnished then the premium wouldn't apply.