2nd home council tax

Redrum99

Hi, I use a 2nd home which I've bought to stay at while working away 2 or 3 nights a week. I've always paid full council tax on this but I've just had my year's bill doubled with a 100% uplift for 2nd home, they now want nearly 4.3k a year. Is there anyway to reduce this as I now have to consider leaving my job and selling up as I now have a combined council tax bill of 6.5k. Feeling a bit done over at the moment. 

p00hsticks

Apparently the council involved could decide to give you a discount, but in your shoes I woudn't be holding your breath....
How Council Tax works: Second homes and empty properties - GOV.UK. 

FlorayG

I don't think you have much of a case. While your situation is slightly different to those who have a 'holiday home', the council will say you could rent somewhere or have lodgings or stay in an AirBnB or hotel 3 nights a week while a local family could buy your property and live in it.
I think most councils will at least waive the extra charge while the house is actively being sold

lincroft1710

FlorayG said:

I don't think you have much of a case. While your situation is slightly different to those who have a 'holiday home', the council will say you could rent somewhere or have lodgings or stay in an AirBnB or hotel 3 nights a week while a local family could buy your property and live in it.

Agree. Is there any need to own a property where you will only stay for a maximum of 40% of the time?

Grumpy_chap

Redrum99 said:

Hi, I use a 2nd home which I've bought to stay at while working away 2 or 3 nights a week. I've always paid full council tax on this but I've just had my year's bill doubled with a 100% uplift for 2nd home, they now want nearly 4.3k a year. Is there anyway to reduce this as I now have to consider leaving my job and selling up as I now have a combined council tax bill of 6.5k. Feeling a bit done over at the moment. 

If the double CT rate for the second home is £4.3k, that means the standard CT rate for the second home is £2.15k so that is quite a high rate of CT.  That is a property some way up the banding.
Could you sell it and buy a small studio flat instead?

In the grand scheme of things, this extra £2k per year CT will be small compared to the future CGT liability.
In the immediate term, you are also paying two lots of utility bills, two lots of insurance, etc.  Why is it only the CT that grates?

grumpy_codger

Grumpy_chap said:

Redrum99 said:

Hi, I use a 2nd home which I've bought to stay at while working away 2 or 3 nights a week. I've always paid full council tax on this but I've just had my year's bill doubled with a 100% uplift for 2nd home, they now want nearly 4.3k a year. Is there anyway to reduce this as I now have to consider leaving my job and selling up as I now have a combined council tax bill of 6.5k. Feeling a bit done over at the moment. 

....
In the immediate term, you are also paying two lots of utility bills, two lots of insurance, etc.  Why is it only the CT that grates?

Unlike the council tax, utility bills are only for the actual use of water and energy. Insurance is nowhere near £2K, let alone £4K.

sheramber

grumpy_codger said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Redrum99 said:

Hi, I use a 2nd home which I've bought to stay at while working away 2 or 3 nights a week. I've always paid full council tax on this but I've just had my year's bill doubled with a 100% uplift for 2nd home, they now want nearly 4.3k a year. Is there anyway to reduce this as I now have to consider leaving my job and selling up as I now have a combined council tax bill of 6.5k. Feeling a bit done over at the moment. 

....
In the immediate term, you are also paying two lots of utility bills, two lots of insurance, etc.  Why is it only the CT that grates?

Unlike the council tax, utility bills are only for the actual use of water and energy. Insurance is nowhere near £2K, let alone £4K.

What about standing charge?

theartfullodger

A true patriot pays their due taxes without trying to wriggle out ....

Best wishes to all

MobileSaver

Grumpy_chap said:

Redrum99 said:

Hi, I use a 2nd home which I've bought to stay at while working away 2 or 3 nights a week. I've always paid full council tax on this but I've just had my year's bill doubled with a 100% uplift for 2nd home, they now want nearly 4.3k a year. Is there anyway to reduce this as I now have to consider leaving my job and selling up as I now have a combined council tax bill of 6.5k. Feeling a bit done over at the moment. 

that means the standard CT rate for the second home is £2.15k so that is quite a high rate of CT.  That is a property some way up the banding.

Sounds a bargain to me, my standard CT (rural mid-Wales) for the coming financial year is just over £5,000!

Bookworm105

MobileSaver said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Redrum99 said:

Hi, I use a 2nd home which I've bought to stay at while working away 2 or 3 nights a week. I've always paid full council tax on this but I've just had my year's bill doubled with a 100% uplift for 2nd home, they now want nearly 4.3k a year. Is there anyway to reduce this as I now have to consider leaving my job and selling up as I now have a combined council tax bill of 6.5k. Feeling a bit done over at the moment. 

that means the standard CT rate for the second home is £2.15k so that is quite a high rate of CT.  That is a property some way up the banding.

Sounds a bargain to me, my standard CT (rural mid-Wales) for the coming financial year is just over £5,000!

you live in the most expensive band anywhere in the UK. So what. Blame it on devolution if you prefer.

MobileSaver

Bookworm105 said:

MobileSaver said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Redrum99 said:

Hi, I use a 2nd home which I've bought to stay at while working away 2 or 3 nights a week. I've always paid full council tax on this but I've just had my year's bill doubled with a 100% uplift for 2nd home, they now want nearly 4.3k a year. Is there anyway to reduce this as I now have to consider leaving my job and selling up as I now have a combined council tax bill of 6.5k. Feeling a bit done over at the moment. 

that means the standard CT rate for the second home is £2.15k so that is quite a high rate of CT.  That is a property some way up the banding.

Sounds a bargain to me, my standard CT (rural mid-Wales) for the coming financial year is just over £5,000!

you live in the most expensive band anywhere in the UK. So what. Blame it on devolution if you prefer.

England and Scotland only have 8 bands (A-H), Wales also has a higher 9th band (Band I) which is the one I'm in so yes, you're right, devolution is to blame.