Empty Homes Premium

The Government have made some changes to the Council Tax regulations that allows additional premiums to be charged for empty homes, particularly those that have been standing empty for long periods of time.

The principle aims of introducing the Empty Homes Premium was to bring empty properties back in to use.

Empty homes are not just a problem in Charnwood but nationally and are a wasted resource. Given the acute need for housing, it is vital that every effort is made to bring such properties back into use at the earliest opportunity.

Following consultation with residents of Charnwood, the Council decided to change the Empty Homes Premium with effect from 1st April 2019, as follows:

Length of time property empty	Additional Premium
2 – 5 years (introduce from 2019)	100%
5 – 10 years (introduce from 2020)	200%
10 years + (introduce from 2021)	300%

The Empty Homes Premium will be added to any property after two years of when it first became empty, regardless of a change in ownership.

The premium rate will apply to new owners, therefore, before purchasing a property you should check if the empty property you are purchasing is subject to a premium rate or may be soon.  The Empty Homes Premium will not apply when:

• The property is the main residence of a member of the armed forces absent as a result of such service
• The property forms part of a single property (i.e. an annex) which is being treated as a part of the main dwelling by a resident of that property
• The property is on the market for sale or rent.

If you would like further information about the Empty Homes Premium, please contact us by calling 01509 634666 or use our online contact form.

On Wednesday 12 March 2025, Cabinet approved the introduction of 100% premiums for Second Homes and changes to the existing Long-Term empty premiums from 1 April 2026. The Empty Homes Policy will be available and published shortly.