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Second home council tax – part-year UK use while living abroad?
Hi,
I have a property in the Sefton Council area which is currently classed as a second home, so I’m paying the council tax premium.
I spend part of the year there (around 10–12 weeks at present), while also living abroad, but I’m now retired and gradually planning to base myself more in the UK.
The house isn’t empty—I use it regularly and have ongoing ties there (e.g. registered to vote, utilities, etc.).
I’m trying to understand how councils determine a “main residence” in situations like this, where time is split and circumstances are changing.
Has anyone had experience with this, or successfully challenged a second home classification?
Comments
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In my experience at some point you will have been asked if it is your main residence and you've said no… if it is now to be your main residence I'd let them know.
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only staying there 12 weeks would make it your second home. Once you start living there for the majority of the year it will be your primary residence.
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Really? How many weeks does it need to be to be your primary residence? I have retired friends who holiday a lot, they are away at least as much as they are here. They judge their home as their primary residence because it is their UK home that they use the most when they are in the UK.
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That's also interesting…I also intend to be away a lot - if my kids will put up with me :-)
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holidaying is not living somewhere else so cant be compared.
You would need to spend the majority of your time there. Where do you stay overseas?2026 wins - Parker Pen, American Sweets bundle, dish magic bundle, NEU shots & a NEU training T-shirt, ToeZone Shoes Worth £32
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Don't think it's as simple as where you spend most of your time - certainly for other purposes it's a mix of factors taken into account when determining what your main residence is. Somebody could be away most days (e.g. working away Mon-Fri) but their home is still where they return to at the weekends.
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They are on holiday, not maintaining a another property.
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Just in case that's not a made up rank - if you are in the military and stationed abroad, you can nominate your home in the UK as your main residence even if it isn't. It prevents you having to pay CGT on that period. My son has rented his house out for the last 17 years, but it's still his main residence for CGT purposes. I think that he basically had to write a letter to HMRC and quote some regulations. (That's my vague recollections from a few years ago)
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I also intend to be away a lot - if my kids will put up with me :-)
That doesn’t sound like active service.1 -
I have been living in Munich for years (renting)…but kept the house as my base for England.
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