Does she have to pay council tax on both properties

paul2louise

Mum has just bought retirement home. It requires some work before she moves in and she hasnt sold her existing house yet. She has a moving date on 3rd August. So my question is does she have to pay CT on the retirement home up to 3rd August as it is unoccupied. Does she have to pay CT on her original house once she has moved out. 

Thank you 

Brie

If she owns the property she has to pay CT on it whether she's living there or not.  It's only if someone different is living there that they become responsible.  

Mutton_Geoff

Check with local councils. Some have tax free periods up to 6 months if it's empty & unfurnished. Some double the council tax if empty to discourage empty homes.

jennifernil

Our council allow up to a 6 month “empty period” if a property is empty of furniture and you are paying elsewhere in the same area.

Not all councils do this, but worth asking.

saajan_12

Yes she has to pay <<whatever council tax is due>> on both properties if she owns them and no one else lives there. 

There may be some question on <<what council tax is due>> at each property, eg 
* some councils may give a discounted for a limited time if the property is vacant / substantially unfurnished / uninhabitable. Such discounts may be upto 100% ie nothing to pay, but the time limit may be partly used by whoever owned it before. 
* if she lives alone, she'd get a 25% discount on the property she lives in. If vacant then this doesn't apply. 

Bookworm105

it is vital that you clearly distinguish between a (mere) "retirement home" and an all encompassing "care home"

if she is in a care home then she is no longer liable for CT on the previous property for as long as it remains empty (including not occupied by relatives).

if it is just a new property she is moving to in an area she fancies for retirement, then she is liable for CT on both but should check each council for any exemption / discount periods that they have the discretion to offer (although many no longer do so given state of public sector finances). 
- uninhabitable whilst "structural alteration" works are underway can have up to 12 month exemption
- empty (all furniture removed) can have anywhere from 0 > many months exemption

TELLIT01

I suspect the OP means a property on a retirement development of some kind which will be the permanent resident.  When my mother's home was empty and for sale there was a period of 6 months where no Council Tax was payable.  However, if the property wasn't sold in that timescale CT from Day1 would be payable.

Bookworm105

TELLIT01 said:

I suspect the OP means a property on a retirement development of some kind which will be the permanent resident.  When my mother's home was empty and for sale there was a period of 6 months where no Council Tax was payable.  However, if the property wasn't sold in that timescale CT from Day1 would be payable.

What happened in your case many not be the same as OP's case. Each council has discretion to apply discounts/exemptions as they see fit (within the overall max permitted).

paul2louise

The retirement flat is in a complex with it's own front door. It needs a bathroom refit and stair lift fitting before she can move in. She is allowing a few weeks from getting the keys to do this and has set a date to move. I will enquire with her old council and new council what their rules are. Thanks 

TELLIT01

Bookworm105 said:

TELLIT01 said:

I suspect the OP means a property on a retirement development of some kind which will be the permanent resident.  When my mother's home was empty and for sale there was a period of 6 months where no Council Tax was payable.  However, if the property wasn't sold in that timescale CT from Day1 would be payable.

What happened in your case many not be the same as OP's case. Each council has discretion to apply discounts/exemptions as they see fit (within the overall max permitted).

I'm aware of that from the variety of responses posted so far.  The only way the OP will know for certain is to contact the council involved.