The Weekly Gripe

How much council tax on an empty house?

Council tax on an empty property

Council tax reduction

I think it's a bit cheeky the way they don't give you a full council tax reduction just because the property still has some furniture in it. It makes no difference, you're not living there and you are not using the local services.



I'm moving to live with my girlfriend, but leaving my property empty and furnished until the house is sold. I would be better off living there or just burning my furniture instead because I only get a 10% reduction on my council tax.

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Posted Comment Visitor
28-1-2010 burn baby burn !!!!!!!!!! well done for taking so long to think of that ! , I would just hire MR Bean to burn the furniture & he would also burn property & then claim the insurance , blaming Mr Bean for everything ! :-)Arson is best !
13-1-2010 Same issue, just been told now I have moved in with the Girl friend we have to pay 100% on her house and 90% on mine! I still live in Bracknell, but now we pay 190% rather than 150% if I hadn't told them! Plus to make matters worse with all the snow, they havent collected rubbish or Recycling...moreJonnyC
14-12-2009 Totally agree - this is happening to me ion Nottingham!!! I have let my house for 2 years and the tennets have jst move out - I have to pay the council tax until March (unless anyone moves in) - at 90% but when I lived there is was 75%. Amazing.Tim
02-12-2009 Similar situation, trying to sell deceased parents property, partly furnished as supposedly sells better. When I notified the council of the situation, you only get 6months free after probate issued. I will be charged full council tax thereafter for this empty property, with 10% reduction if I remo...moreDisgruntled
06-10-2009 Why do you still have to pay countcil tax when the person has died and the property is empty of all furnishing??????????????S Wassall
28-9-2009 I've got to put up with a similar problem at the moment, my work has relocated me to the other end of the country, in this day and age its best not to argue. My problem is I get the 25% single person discount on my house but I only get the 10% second home discount on the flat I'm renting?!?...moreTaxed to death
21-9-2009 I'm just going through the same and you don't get a full discount for an unfurnished property... The world has gone mad!!!!!!!me
24-7-2009 Chris, I agree with you! I always thought the poll tax was fairer too. The people who moaned about it usually seemed to be large families in council houses on benefits who didn't like more of their hard unearned benefits being taken back!grumpyoldwoman
23-7-2009 Which is why the poll tax was fairer as it wasn't based on property - people use services such as street lighting, rubbish collection, police services, libraries, etc - houses don't.Chris
22-7-2009 I disagree with the last post - I have been a sole occupier and received a discount (albeit on a tiny flat anyway). Now I will not be living there before renting it out, I lose my discount, so end up paying more! Why? I wont be generating rubbish and wont be using any of the local services. Worst o...moreRipped Off
08-2-2009Let's look into this properly. Council tax is a way for the State as a whole to delegate the taxing of unpopular expensive type of taxes to other parties [local authorities] whilst seemingly avoiding the blame itself for the size of those taxes. Why on earth would Social Work, Education, Libr...moreHow
08-2-2009Update: I didn't burn the furniture. I lied and said it was empty. I got 100% off when I was happy to pay 25%. Sold in 5 months. Done. Nikki, I couldn't afford both houses hence the gripe. I now live in a house paying £2500/year council tax. They'll get your money in the end!McBurns



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