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RECOMMENDED
TO COUNCIL: The following changes to the Council Tax
premiums on empty and second homes:
 

(1)  
That from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2025 the following interim
premiums are introduced:
 ·   Properties
empty for one year but less than two will not receive a Premium
 ·   Properties
empty for more than two years, but less than five years will
receive a 100% Premium.
 ·   Properties
empty for five years but less than ten years a 150% Premium.
 ·   Properties
empty for more than ten years a 200% Premium.
 

(2)  
That from 1 April 2025 the Council adopts the following full
Premium levy rates:

·      
Properties empty for one year but less than five will receive a
100% Premium.

·      
Properties empty for five years but less than ten years a 200%
Premium.

·      
Properties empty for more than ten years a 300% Premium.
 

(3)  
That from 1 April 2025 a 100% Premium is levied on all properties
that are determined as a second home, subject to any exceptions
once these have been confirmed by Regulations and that the Service
Director – Customers in consultation with the Executive
Member for Finance and IT is delegated authority to make any
amendments following further confirmation of the Regulations.
 
REASONS FOR
RECOMMENDATIONS:
 

(1)  
To support the principle of bringing unoccupied properties back
into occupation in line with the proposed empty homes strategy. At
the time of writing there are 43 properties that have been
unoccupied for over five years.
 

(2)  
The introduction of a phased approach of increasing the premiums
enables us to advertise the changes. As the introduction of
premiums for properties unoccupied for between one and two years is
new there will be no expectation on the owners of these properties
of an additional premium and therefore it is recommended that this
aspect is deferred until 2025 to allow time to advertise the
change.
 

(3)  
In respect of a premium on Second Homes the Council is required to
give one year’s notice as this is the Councils first
determination in this regard and therefore a resolution must be
made before the end of the 2023/24 financial year in order to bring in the premium from 01 April
2025.
 

(4)  
The Council does have the ability to revoke the decision in
relation to Second Homes premium, during the year should any
consultation that is carried out provide evidence that this would
not be effective.