Second home tax - retirement properties of deceased

Sunshine050724

Hi All,  

Since my Nanna died, we have been unable to sell her property which is a retirement property -  despite being actively marketed.  Being a retirement property, it is a very narrow sales market as there is an age limit, it is a clearly senior living place, and other routes like letting are not only cumbersome for my father to manage but also typically a condition of the lease to not sublet.

We, like others, are now being hit by second home tax as it is beyond the initial probate/empty property exemptions.  What guidance do you have?  Has anyone tried appealing, applying to delay payment until sold, or completely emptying their homes etc (although this can make it more difficult to sell if it is not 'staged'), found a way to reduce tax?

Thanks for any insights / hints & tips

MeteredOut

Is the property still part of her estate, or is it now owned by yourselves?

If the former, it is her estate that should be paying any costs.

Sunshine050724

It is still part of the estate but the 'liquid' money is running out

MeteredOut

Sunshine050724 said:

It is still part of the estate but the 'liquid' money is running out

Then why are you "being hit by second home tax"? It doesn't belong to you (yet).

Or is it being hit by a double council tax due to being unoccupied (empty home premium), rather than the second home council tax? But again, its not you being hit by this - its the estate.

I'm sure there was another post here recently where one bit of advice was to inform the council that there are no more liquid funds in the estate and that they'd have to wait for the sale to get their money. Whether they'd have any power to, eg, force a sale at a lower price, I don't know.

Bookworm225

MeteredOut said:

Sunshine050724 said:

It is still part of the estate but the 'liquid' money is running out

 Whether they'd have any power to, eg, force a sale at a lower price, I don't know.

ultimately "they" do, but of course it will cost them money to get to that stage, so they may be willing to "negotiate" before then

Sunshine050724

As you say it is the estate @MeteredOut but the Executors are responsible to pay the second home tax from the moment it is designated a second home.  The council is considering a second home, even though no-one is living there.  We may try to appeal but what I have read so far, I am not confident

sheramber

Sunshine050724 said:

As you say it is the estate @MeteredOut but the Executors are responsible to pay the second home tax from the moment it is designated a second home.  The council is considering a second home, even though no-one is living there.  We may try to appeal but what I have read so far, I am not confident

It is not a second home.

It is an empty property which is charged higher council tax, as is a second hime owned by someone who has a different main residence.