If a property in Rhondda Cynon Taf is empty for a long time, or is furnished but not lived in, you may have to pay a Council Tax premium - an extra charge on top of your normal Council Tax.
On this page:
- How it works
- What is a long term empty or unoccupied and substantially furnished property
- How much the premium costs
- Exceptions to the premium
- Apply for an exception to your premium
- Help bringing a property back into full time use
- Why we charge a premium
How it works
If a property in Rhondda Cynon Taf is empty for a long time, or is furnished but not lived in, you may have to pay a Council Tax premium. This is an extra charge on top of your normal Council Tax.
Your council tax bill will display how much premium you need to pay. (***clarify with Kurt and Matthew how this works***)
What is a long term empty or unoccupied and substantially furnished property
Your property would be classed as long term empty if it meets all of these conditions:
- It is not lived in
- It does not have enough furniture for normal use
- It has been in this condition for 12 months or more
Your property would be considered unoccupied and substantially furnished if it meets all of these conditions:
- It is lived in only occasionally (or not at all)
- it is furnished
- is not the owners only or main home
How much the premium costs
Long term empty properties premiums
If your property has been empty between 1 and 3 years, you will be charged a 100% council tax premium (double the standard council tax charge).
If your property has been empty for more than 3 years, you will be charged a 200% council tax premium (triple the standard council tax charge).
Unoccupied and substantially furnished premiums
If your property is furnished but not lived in, you will be charged a 100% council tax premium (double the standard council tax charge).
Exceptions to the premium
There are some exceptions to the premium that may apply:
- Properties for sale (Class 1)
- Actively being marketed for sale at a reasonable price
- A sale has been agreed but not completed
- This is a temporary exception that only lasts for a period of up to 1 year.
- Properties for rent (Class 2)
- Actively being marketed for rent at a reasonable price
- Tenancy has been agreed but not yet started
- This is a temporary exception that only lasts for a period of up to 1 year.
- Annexes (Class 3)
- Part of, or treated as part of a main home
- Armed forces accommodation (Class 4)
- Property would be a main home if the person was not required to live in armed forces accommodation
- Caravan pitches and boat moorings (Class 5)
- Occupied caravan pitches or boat moorings (Applies to second homes only)
- Planning restrictions (Class 6)
- Planning conditions state that the property cannot be occupied all year or as a main home (Applies to second homes only)
- Job-related dwellings (Class 7)
- Property is linked to employment and must be lived in due to job requirements (Applies to second homes only)
Apply for an exception to your premium
Before your start
You will need to provide relevant evidence to support your exception application.
This can include:
- estate agent or letting agent contract
- property sales or rental listings
- Energy Performance Certificates or Gas Safety certificates
- council tax bill to show liability of another property
- employment contracts
- pay or tax return statements
- letters from employer for Armed Forces personnel or Ministers of Religion
Apply for an exception to your council tax premium
Help bringing a property back into full-time use
You will not be charged a premium if your bring your property back into full time use. You may be able to do this by renovating, renting or selling your property.
View our advice for owners of empty homes.
Why we charge a premium
The premium is used as a tool to help bring empty homes back into use, providing safe, secure and affordable homes and sustaining local communities.
The additional income is used to:
- bring long term empty homes back into use
- increase the supply of affordable housing
- support sustainable communities
The funding raised from premiums has supported the Empty Homes Grant, which offers grants of up to £25,000 to improve empty properties so they can be lived in again.
The Empty Homes Grant has helped return many empty homes back into use and has been recognised as good practice by Welsh Government.
Find out more about the Empty Homes Grant.
View Welsh Government guidance about Council Tax on empty and second homes
View Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's Council Tax Premiums report