Council Tax on Empty Properties 2026/27
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Try free →How empty property premiums work
Since April 2025, English councils have been able to charge escalating premiums on long-term empty properties, on top of the standard bill. A property empty and unfurnished for between one and five years can be charged a 100% premium, meaning you pay double the standard rate. Between five and ten years, that rises to a 200% premium (triple the standard bill), and beyond ten years it can reach a 300% premium — four times the normal charge.
What resets the empty-property clock
- A property must be occupied or furnished for a continuous period of at least 6 weeks to reset how long it has been counted as empty
- Whether a premium applies at all, and at what rate, is decided by each individual council — not every authority charges the maximum allowed
- Second homes (furnished but not your main residence) fall under a separate rule: councils can charge up to a 100% premium on these too, from April 2025, regardless of how long you’ve owned it
- Certain properties are exempt from premiums, including those actively being marketed for sale or let, undergoing structural repair, or forming part of a deceased person’s estate awaiting probate
What to do if a property is genuinely stuck empty
If you’re renovating, waiting on probate, or genuinely struggling to sell or let, contact your council directly — several exemptions and time-limited discounts exist, but they are rarely applied automatically and usually require evidence and an active application.