Sandwell’s second homes to be charged extra council tax

Although the saying goes ‘what goes up must come down’, in this instance second homes and empty properties in Sandwell will experience an increase in council tax one year from 1^st April. 

In celebration of National Empty Homes Week, which ran from 4^th until 10^th March 2024, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council announced they will be doubling the amount of council tax owners empty properties will have to pay, to help provide more homes to people who need them the most.   

Prior to this announcement, the additional 100% council tax charge was only payable on empty properties after two years, however now owners will be charged one year from 1^st April 2024.

Cabinet member for housing and built environment, Cllr Laura Rollins, said: ‘We are facing a significant housing shortage in Sandwell and we cannot have homes sitting empty.

‘We need 41,000 new homes by 2041. Having properties sitting empty only adds to the pressure on housing in the borough.

‘By charging extra Council Tax on empty properties, we aim to increase the availability of affordable housing and reduce homelessness by bringing empty homes back into use.’

In addition to council tax increasing for empty homes, second homes will also attract double the amount of council tax from 1^st April 2025. This will be a change from the current position, which sees second homes charged an additional 100% council tax from the day they become empty – the rule will come into force within the next financial year.

This news also coincides with the government confirming plans to implement stricter rules for some empty houses, commencing from 1^st April.

Although next year councils will get new powers to charge extra tax on second homes as well, there will be some special circumstances where the new rules won’t apply.

These include:

• A home is uninhabitable due to renovations
• Second homes that are not available for use year-round due to planning restrictions
• Homes that have been inherited

These new rules are part of a big government plan to construct one million homes and they say they have £10bn to help complete the goal.

On the topic of money, Sandwell Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Bob Piper, said increasing the council tax charges will help raise more than £800,000 which will be reinvested into council services.

Cllr Piper said: ‘The increase in council tax charges on empty properties will affect around 600 properties that have been empty for a year.

‘This will help us to raise more than £800,000 in Council Tax over the financial year to invest back into council services.

‘Not only that, we hope this will encourage landlords and owners to not allow homes to remain empty when they could provide much-needed housing.’

Image: Nataliya Vaitkevich

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