Empty property
Empty Property Discount
If you for responsible for paying council tax on a property which becomes unoccupied and substantially unfurnished, you can claim a 100% empty property discount for a period of up to one month.
Empty property discount is only awarded after a continuous period of occupation of no less than six weeks.
If ownership of the property changes when the empty property discount is in place, the new owner will only be awarded the balance of the one month discount. For example, the owner of a property that becomes empty and unfurnished on the first of the month can apply for a 100% empty property discount of one month. If the property is sold on the 15th of the month, then the new owner can apply for a maximum 100% empty property discount of approximately two weeks.
Request an empty property discount
Empty Property Premium
Wyre Council is committed to reducing the number of empty homes in its area. Under the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2024, which comes into force from 1 April 2024, the council will have the discretion to charge a premium on empty and largely unfurnished properties after one year.
As a result, the Council has changed its charging policy in relation to long-term empty homes (Draft Council Report long-term empty 2nd home premiums)
A long-term empty homes premium will be introduced from 1 April 2024 in line with legislation to charge the following:
• 100% premium on properties empty for at least one year;
• 200% premium on properties empty for at least 5 years, and;
• 300% premium on properties empty for at least 10 years.