Council Tax on empty property

davidmcn

lebowski1980 wrote: »

Agrinnall, so just because they want to discourage people and increase revenue makes it okay? Does that mean you don't take issue with any local or country wide policy?

Agrinnall was explaining to you the reasons behind the policy, which I thought was your question? Not whether we all agree with the policy.

boo_star

lebowski1980 wrote: »

Agrinnall, so just because they want to discourage people and increase revenue makes it okay? Does that mean you don't take issue with any local or country wide policy?

Sometimes you would hope that in a society, people can look beyond a balance sheet and use common sense.

They is no discouragement taking place since i am relocating and trying to sell. Trust me, i wish i could ever afford the luxury of just having a place lie empty.

I'm not saying it should be nil as i still own the place and there are still road services, emergency services etc...

It's easy to be indifferent when it doesn't affect you i guess

No, it just makes sense.

Lack of housing is a problem in the UK right now and anything that can be done to make owning an empty property less desirable is a good thing. Perhaps not to you, but it certainly is to the millions of people that are struggling to buy right now.

Besides, you may still need the police/fire service to attend so paying nothing isn't going to happen.

lebowski1980

Thanks for the replies.
I can see the other side of the argument but i guess to me a blanket policy just isn't an equitable approach. Sure it takes more to administer each case leading to more spending if dealt with individually but sometimes it just feels like you are being kicked while you are down.

I don't see that i should have to feel pressured to lower my house price just because of the pressure of a council tax charge and be okay with that as I'm not trying to swindle anyone.

Moving isn't so much through choice but a need for family reasons for me. Life doesn't always go as planned as we had intended to stay where we were long term originally and money is tight as it is.

I don't own a BTL and have never missed payments, claimed benefits and am law abiding and will of course pay council tax where i am soon to be living.

Davidmcn.. it was more Agrinall saying i should be thankful I'm not paying more which was why i responded. Personally i don't think i need to be thankful that someone hasn't tightened the already cosy shackles

On the citizens advice website it does say that different councils can determine policy so it's definitely varied across the board.

AdrianC, touche i guess you can get blinded when you are in it.

Some economic policy baffles me when it can affect those who just make ends meet in order to try to change the behaviour of the people who do take advantage

moneyistooshorttomention

We could all say that - and I know I'm baffled by economic policy that charges single people so much more on bills than someone who is living together/married. I'm baffled by childless people having more money taken off them in tax for those that have children.....etc etc.

I expect the only people happy with economic policy are those who have a good income, are married/coupled-up, have children.

lebowski1980

True. I agree. It's a much broader issue.
Obviously i will have to get on and just accept it regardless - I'm sure in 10 years time i will barely remember it!

Personally right now i believe that economic policy should be heavily focused on persuading people to make greener choices and forcing companies to do the same (e.g. reduced corporation tax for companies that eliminate one use plastics where applicable and other green initiatives such as renewables and home based working where possible) but that in itself would cause some to be disadvantaged so I'm sure so it's not easy.

I get that we all need to make money but to me, not at the expense of losing our compassion or humanity for others

glennevis

OP, do the maths and don't fall for the 'sell it cheap and quick' argument. If you hold out for a fair offer on your old home you will make enough to cover the comparatively small amount of CT.

AdrianC

lebowski1980 wrote: »

...but i guess to me a blanket policy just isn't an equitable approach.

It isn't a blanket policy.
Each local authority decides their own policy, according to local conditions.

I don't see that i should have to feel pressured to lower my house price just because of the pressure of a council tax charge

You don't HAVE to lower it. A year's council tax will cost, what, a grand and a bit? How much would you lower it for a quick sale?


But it DOES give you an incentive to decide to sell more quickly, rather than take your time.

00ec25

lebowski1980 wrote: »

but that in itself would cause some to be disadvantaged so I'm sure so it's not easy.

your choice of example policy you regard as "worthy" leaves me beyond cold since I sit in the cold unable to afford heating due to the levies applied to the energy prices I pay to support the greens

further to that my taxes are then used to also subsidise that agenda. Compared to that your whining over having to pay a bit of council tax on an empty property is so much hot air I wished was in my house

AnotherJoe

lebowski1980 wrote: »

Agrinnall, so just because they want to discourage people and increase revenue makes it okay? Does that mean you don't take issue with any local or country wide policy?

Sometimes you would hope that in a society, people can look beyond a balance sheet and use common sense.

They is no discouragement taking place since i am relocating and trying to sell. Trust me, i wish i could ever afford the luxury of just having a place lie empty.

I'm not saying it should be nil as i still own the place and there are still road services, emergency services etc...

It's easy to be indifferent when it doesn't affect you i guess

I'm in the same position, it affects me, I'm dropping the price, i think its a reasonable position for the council to take, we need houses more than we need people hanging on to get a few more £ for them

Murphybear

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

My house has a one bed annexe that is rated separately for council tax and so I pay two lots at my address. Only the main property is discounted for single occupancy, even though the annexe is also in my name and vacant, they wouldn't apply two single occupancy discounts.


In the end I ripped out the kitchen and bathroom and they delisted it. But then they moved my main house up a band as it now included the annexe for ratable value and charged me extra for that!

Whatever you do, you can't win