Council Tax for unoccupied property

twonk9098

Thank you etienneg, perfectly and politely explained. I now know where to find my my answer.

xylophone

just want to know what I am paying for.

Councils produce an information sheet annually which has a pie chart or similar showing how the CT is allocated - the local council for the property you are selling probably does the same.

Example

https://www.hertsmere.gov.uk/Documents/01-Benefits--Council-Tax/Council-Tax/CT-HBC-Leaflet-2018.pdf

Councils want to discourage people from leaving properties empty but do offer certain concessions under certain circumstances.

https://www.gov.uk/council-tax/second-homes-and-empty-properties

CIS

gt94sss2 wrote: »

Because the law states that an exemption of upto 6 months applies in the event of a death.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/558/made

The Class F exemption was re-worded in 1994. Although worded sightly differently your point does still hold though.

Class F:

(1) an unoccupied dwelling--

(a) which has been unoccupied since the date of death of a person ("the deceased"); and

(b) in relation to which one of the conditions set out in paragraph (2) below is satisfied;


(2) the conditions referred to in paragraph (1) above are, subject to paragraph (3) below, that--

(a) the deceased had, at the date of his death, a freehold interest in the dwelling, or a leasehold interest in the dwelling which was granted for a term of six months or more, and

(i) no person is a qualifying person in respect of the dwelling; or
(ii) a person is a qualifying person in respect of the dwelling acting in his capacity as executor or administrator, and no person is a qualifying person in any other capacity;

Or

(b) the deceased was a tenant of the dwelling at the date of his death, and an executor or administrator acting in his capacity as such is liable for rent or, as the case may be, a licence fee, for the day;


(3) sub-paragraphs (a)(ii) and (b) of paragraph (2) above shall only apply, in a case where a grant of probate or letters of administration has been made, if less than six months have elapsed since the date of the grant;

elainehollis

From April a lot of councils are charging an extortionate 200% council tax for properties that have been empty 2 years

CIS

elainehollis wrote: »

From April a lot of councils are charging an extortionate 200% council tax for properties that have been empty 2 years

They are following the legislation that will allow them to double the charge (another government way of allowing them to offset reduced central funding by recovering it locally) but the increase is very easy to beat.

anselld

elainehollis wrote: »

From April a lot of councils are charging an extortionate 200% council tax for properties that have been empty 2 years

Well that is an extortionate length of time to leave a property empty when there is a housing crisis.

Uxb1

etienneg wrote: »

If the house caught fire, would you expect the fire service to attend? If there was a break in or vandalism, would you expect the police to attend? These are just two examples of things you are getting that are partially funded from council tax.
.

Took three fire engines to turn up to actually get one which had a chainsaw on board to help when a tree partially came down on a car
Locals offered their chainsaws in the spirit of you know of being helpful - oh no we cant' use that - it's not an approved chain saw.
As for the police turning up after vandalism or a burglary - are you for real or just having a larf?

Actually council would probably be financially better off if they had a lot more unoccupied houses and semi-occupied second homes. They would not have bins to empty, nor provide social services for both the non-existing old and young occupants of the property.
Replacing a second home owner who regularly eats out and gets people to look after the property thereby providing work in the local community with an aged retired couple needing care and having free bus passes and the rest would not be a clever move.