Council Tax Second Home Charge

Arnold03

Hello - I wonder if you can help me? My husband owns our marital home, due to health reasons we have got the house up for sale - we are not living in it, it is empty but there is a bed in two of the rooms and 2 arms chairs in a room. We are now privately renting in a different borough the rental agreement is in my name and my children and him are permitted residents - we are paying council tax on this property - and fully expect to pay council tax on the OWNED property whilst it is up for sale, - however today he has received a double charge on the empty property as it is classed as a second home? Is this correct? 

He only has a mortgage on one property. And I am the tenant on the home we are renting presently. Any help as the council office is shut till next week. 

TheSpectator

Depends on the Council but it is a 2nd property and probably correct. Some councils give a temporary exemption for unfurnished properties that are up for sale.

FlorayG

Yes, this is correct, you have a second home so the extra council tax is applied. Some councils will rescind the double charge if the property is actively being marketed for sale so check if yours will.
It doesn't matter if you're renting, mortgaged, outright owners, whatever - you both live in one property and own another that's all they see

Arnold03

thank you i will message them and see if there is an exemption that might be able to be applied

Bookworm105

Arnold03 said:

thank you i will message them and see if there is an exemption that might be able to be applied

do check the rules re empty property for that council, there are time limits and premium rates applicable to them as well as "second homes" and those rules might kick in sooner and higher than you want

your description of the remaining furniture is borderline whether they would accept it as being "substantially" unfurnished as that is the qualifying definition of "empty">
No one in residence does not of itself make it empty, no one plus no furniture = empty.
No one + furniture = second home

ReadySteadyPop

Many councils are on a mission to gather income from property now, check the details, allowed limits etc. but it looks like a second home is a second home even if you are renting somewhere else, which I don`t think is fair.

Bookworm105

ReadySteadyPop said:

Many councils are on a mission to gather income from property now, check the details, allowed limits etc. but it looks like a second home is a second home even if you are renting somewhere else, which I don`t think is fair.

so you think owning a property you do not live in because you live rental elsewhere is "fair"?
usual double standards from crashy:
 "I don't own a home because I misjudged the market when I sold, since then I resent the house price rise that means I can't now afford one, so I dream that prices will be forced down soon and I can return to ownership. I therefore support anything that pushes prices down as I predict a collapse of prices is imminent. (Not my fault my predictions are untrue)"