Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reason the empty home premium starts when a property first becomes empty rather than when a property is bought with the intention of renovating and occupying it.

Stephen Williams

The empty homes premium aims to reduce the total length of time for which properties are empty, not the length of time for which they are empty under a particular owner.

Since the power came into effect on 1 April 2013, 239 councils in England have introduced the empty homes premium. The number of long-term empty homes fell by 38,009 between October 2012 and October 2013.

Properties that are left empty due to the death of the occupier are exempt from council tax for up to six months after the granting of probate, or after letters of administration have been signed.