Rhondda Cynon Taf council will consult on introducing a council tax premium on long-term empty properties and second homes. A report approved by cabinet on Monday, October 17, recommended the council starts a four-week consultation on using its powers to charge a higher rate of council tax for these properties.
The proposal is that a council tax premium of 50% is introduced for properties which have been empty between one and two years, increasing to 100% for those empty for more than two years, with a premium of 100% proposed for second homes.
The charge for long-term empty properties would begin in April, 2023, and for second homes in April, 2024. A long-term empty property is defined as one which is both unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for a continuous period of at least one year and a second home is defined as a property that is not a person’s sole or main residence and is substantially furnished. You can get more Rhondda news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Read more: Residents forced to move from care homes following 'significant' concerns from councils
It is estimated that the premiums could raise £1.9m for the council. The local authority has powers available to it to charge council tax premiums through the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.
From April, 2017, councils in Wales have been able to charge higher amounts of up to 100% on top of the standard rate of council tax on second homes and long-term empty properties. From 2023, the regulations will be updated to allow councils to charge a maximum of 300% on top of the standard rate of council tax.
Recent analysis of council tax data had shown that about 40% of properties classed as long-term empty and 40% of those classed as second homes were owned by people who did not live in Rhondda Cynon Taf, the report said. The report added that there were still about 2,000 long-term empty properties in the county borough at any given time, and 346 second homes, but this number has increased by more than 80% since April, 2018.
The 0% discount for second homes has been unchanged since RCT Council was formed in 1996, but until April, 2018, a long-term empty property would get a 50% council tax discount after which owners had to pay the full council tax bill. The report said RCT’s Empty Homes Strategy (2017-2022) was developed in recognition of the high numbers of empty homes in the county borough, especially in the north, and the council’s commitment to addressing the problem.
It was also in appreciation of the continuing pressure to deliver affordable housing for residents of RCT, the report said. Since the strategy was implemented, the number of empty homes in RCT has reduced from 3,556 in April, 2017, to 2,894 in April, 2021 but a new strategy is being drawn up.
A recent analysis of empty homes in RCT showed that 905 of them had been empty for the last four years and the report said: “Whilst the council continues to target these empty homes and provide advice and assistance to the home owners in order to support them to bring them back into use, it is recognised that additional measures are required to encourage home owners not to leave these homes empty.” The report highlighted that the recent draft local housing market assessment 2022-2037 identified an annual need for 255 new affordable homes.
It also showed there would be 6,208 new households during this period of which 1,951 would be unable to afford market housing costs. New build developments alone would not sufficiently meet this demand which further reinforced the need to bring existing housing stock across RCT back into use, the report said.
Since the introduction of the 100% council tax charge for empty properties, the council had seen an increase in the number of requests for advice and assistance from both landlords and homeowners, to bring their properties back into use, evidencing the positive impact of this on the number of empty homes across RCT, the report said.
There are properties that are exceptions, including those being marketed for sale (limited for one year), those being marketed for let (limited for one year), annexes forming part of a main property, properties which would be someone’s main residence if they were not living in armed forces accommodation, occupied caravan pitches and boat moorings, seasonal homes where year-round occupation is not allowed and job-related properties.
The reasons given in the report for the introduction of these powers being available to councils is to help them “bring long-term empty homes back into use to provide safe, secure and affordable homes and support councils in increasing the supply of affordable housing and enhancing the sustainability of local communities”. If agreed, a four-week consultation would take place.
Councillor Andrew Morgan, leader of the council, said he thinks it is the right thing to do if they are to further expand on reducing the number of empty properties.
He said: “This is part of a real drive that we’ve got in Rhondda Cynon Taf to reduce the number of empty properties.”
He said there is a housing crisis and they’re no different in RCT than everywhere else in terms of the demand for housing.
He said: “It shouldn’t just be about building new housing and new homes. It should be about how we can bring old properties back into use.”
Cllr Morgan added that there are opportunities for funding to help bring properties back into use.
What do you think about this story? Leave your thoughts in the comments below
READ NEXT:
Inside Wales' cheapest house with a jungle for a garden that's going to auction for £25k
The creepy Halloween house in the Valleys which attracts horror fans from miles around
Switzerland 2-1 Wales Women (AET): World Cup dream ends in heartbreak in Zurich with late Swiss goal
Remains of hundreds of human bodies found at former department store site in Wales
Find out about planning applications where you live
