Empty Property - Council Tax

Ms_Chocaholic

We wish to retire in a new area and have just bought a property, our current home is on the market and yet to sell, hopefully it will soon.  The new property is currently empty waiting for redecoration/new bathroom etc. I rang the Council this morning and they said that there is no exemption for empty properties and that this was stopped in 2017 and we would have to pay the full CT on the new property.  Is there any way to get round this, did it really stop in 2017.  If that is correct, could we claim single person discount on the Council Tax in the new property?

Thank you

Ms Chocaholic

Flugelhorn

Yes I think it did stop about then, only exemption is for probate or for a limited range of occupations.

I often pondered about OH and I living at different addresses to that we could get 2 single person discounts but it seemed like fraud to me. 

fatbelly

I'm not aware of any discount or exemption that would apply in your situation

p00hsticks

Ms_Chocaholic said:

If that is correct, could we claim single person discount on the Council Tax in the new property?

My understanding is that If one of you is genuinely living in one property and the other in the other then you could both claim single person discount, but it must be a reflection of the real life situation - i.e.e you must genuinely be living in the property for the majority of the time.

Mr.Generous

Empty property discount is at the discretion of the council, years ago you got 6 months - in the North West the one's I've dealt with recently still give 1 month.

I did with one council explain that I was only staying at the property Mon - Thurs to renovate, thus just over the 50% point so had to pay full tax less 25% - but that allowed me to do the same at home - a higher band so a better saving.

Singlemummy_2

My council gives six months empty property discount. I unfortunately didn’t qualify as the seller had already claimed it prior to my taking ownership 

lincroft1710

Ms_Chocaholic said:

. I rang the Council this morning and they said that there is no exemption for empty properties and that this was stopped in 2017 and we would have to pay the full CT on the new property.  Is there any way to get round this, did it really stop in 2017.  If that is correct, could we claim single person discount on the Council Tax in the new property?

Yes the rules changed about that time giving individual councils the choice to offer exemption between zero and twelve months. Most councils offer zero exemption. As has been previously stated SPD could only be claimed if you were genuinely living apart in different houses