Discounts and exemptions available to owners of empty homes in St Albans set to be reviewed

St Albans District Council will review council tax discounts and exemptions as the government  plans to implement legislation that will allow the council to vary council tax exemptions and discounts for vacant houses from April next year.

The discounts and exemptions will include a 100 percent exemption from council tax for 12 months for owners of properties that are subject to major works of repair or renovation, a 100 percent exemption from council tax for six months for owners of properties that are unfurnished and vacant and a 10 percent discount on council tax where the property is a second home.

  Councils will also have the option to charge a 50 percent premium on council tax bills where properties are empty for more than two years.

Councillor Julian Daly, leader and portfolio holder for resources at the council, said: “At a time when the council is under pressure to allow new building in the Green Belt we need to reduce the number of empty properties that are already here.
 

“Earlier in the year we appointed an Empty Homes Officer to work with property owners to encourage people not to leave homes empty.
 

  “It’s likely that reduced council tax discounts will act as an incentive for owners to bring homes back into use as quickly as possible.

“The extra income will also help us to balance the budget at a time of reducing grants from central government.”

By abolishing all the discounts and exemptions, the council could theoretically benefit from a maximum additional income of up to £140,000, representing 11 percent of the total tax.

The balance will be shared by Hertfordshire Police Authority and Hertfordshire County Council and other people receiving council tax.
 

There will be a meeting open to the public on Thursday, October, 18 to discuss the proposals at the council’s offices at the Civic Centre, St Peter’s Street, from 7pm.