Council tax premiums for second and empty homes approved by Arun

The 100 per cent council tax premium could now be charged to around 1,700 second homes in the district, and will now be applied to properties that are ‘unoccupied or substantially unfurnished’ after one year instead of two.

The council’s policy and finance committee unanimously approved the changed empty homes premium at its meeting on Thursday, March 7, with the second homes premium recommended to full council – both would come into force on April 1, 2025.

Now empty homes that are ‘unoccupied or substantially unfurnished’ for more than one year will see a 100 per cent council tax premium, 200 per cent for more than five years, and 300 per cent for more than ten years.

According to a report presented to the committee, the council reported 311 empty homes are eligible for the updated 100 per cent premium as of November 2023, excluding 78 homes already paying the premium.

The report stated changes are expected to generate £420,322.63 for the council once in place, with £355,513.34 to come from the second homes.

The extra premiums are a result of changes to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) as part of a crackdown against empty homes.

The council’s Chief Financial Officer, Antony Baden, said there is a loophole to avoid the premium, where owners register their second or empty homes as businesses.

He said this could see the council lose a large chunk of its expected income and would hopefully be tightened by the DLUHC changes.