The National Landlords Association (NLA) is contacting all local authorities in the UK to ask for council tax exemptions for landlords whose properties become empty between tenancies.
Currently, the policy for whether landlords are liable to pay council tax for their unoccupied properties differs across the UK, and with councils soon to be drafting their budget proposals for the next financial year the NLA is keen to negotiate exemptions for landlords now.
The task is being carried out by the NLA’s 37 regional representatives who operate across the UK in order to campaign at a local level.
Carolyn Uphill, chairman and former NLA representative for Manchester, said: “We have to remember that landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure the home they provide is safe and fit to be occupied and often essential maintenance or even larger scale renovation work may be needed before the property is suitable for new tenants.
“We often hear that more should be done to improve the standard of private rented property, yet councils still insist on making landlords liable for council tax between tenancies which is simply another business cost that the landlord is faced with.
“The NLA believe that councils must play their part by allowing a reasonable exemption period of council tax. This would demonstrate they are serious about encouraging better standards in the sector and mean landlords won’t rush to re let their properties without first ensuring they are up to scratch.”
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Comments
In response to David Wirth's comments - are you a landlord?
Like Graham Slater and 'AllinLeedsRooms', we are in Leeds City Council's area - what you don't grasp is that it does not encourage any refurbishment - because you have the expense of refurbishment or maintenance or repairs, and then you have to pay 100% Council Tax - it would not be so bad if there was a discount, if they would still not allow an exemption
And people sometimes think I'm provocative?!!!
Good job you are on the less posted Landlord Today David and not LAT the words can of worms and opproprium come to mind here!!!
Agree with you largely, though word "privileged" in para 2 will cause interesting comment, and after 22 years in the business I don't know many Landlords who leave their properties deliberately empty that long or that often
Sorry to go against the grain, but I think landlords should definitely pay council tax when their properties are empty:
1. Streets, roads and street lamps outside their properties will still need to be repaired, maintained, gritted and where necessary upgraded which will benefit them as landlords as well as their future tenants and existing residents. If maintenance or redecoration work inside their empty properties occurs, there will still be a need for refuse to be collected and for the use of the council amenity centres for larger rubbish.
2. Landlords are in a completely privileged position of owning more than one property, i.e. more than they need. All three major political parties believe that those with the broadest shoulders should bear the greatest burden of tax. Exemption would be regressive, i.e. the poor paying proportionally more than the rich.
3. Landlords often deliberately leave left their properties empty, which is of course completely socially irresponsible at a time of desperate housing shortage. Having to pay council tax on empty properties would be incentive to actually let the properties out. (There might even be a case for doubling or trebling council tax on properties kept empty!)
- And if this means paying say £2:50 council tax for a one-day void period, so be it - the landlord should just smile and pay.
NLA campaign will sadly be a waste of time and resources
Graham - 100% Council Tax now applies because all discounts have been made discretionary for the Councils.
What logic can possible be applied to say that when a property is empty it attracts single adult discount of 25%, a discount which exists purely to be applied (and always has been) when a property is occupied only by a single adult.
Helen and Allin if the discount still exists as a right for any period when a property is uninhabitable and IS NOT at the Council's discretion, then you should challenge any decision that if made otherwise.
I suppose you are aware some naughty Landlords take baths etc out of properties to render them 'uninhabitable' during periods they do not intend to or cannot re-let the property.
Agree about Leeds City Council, and when a one bedroomed flat becomes empty between tenancies the Council Tax reverts to 100% yet when tenanted with a single person it gets a 25% discount. Larger renovation projects are normally subject to Building Control inspections so the local authority are aware that the property is neither tenanted or capable of being lived in.
We had a two bedroom flat in a student area which hadn't re-let at the end of the term. Whilst advertising for re-let, some refurbishment to make the flat nicer, more attractive to let was sensible. Some simple damp work was done by a specialist and the shower room refurbished.
If there is no shower enclosure at all whilst the room is refurbished, how can it reasonably be habitable and liable for Council Tax? £191.12 bill for the 2 1/2 months between tenancies.
Leeds City Council are an absolute nightmare with this. They screw every penny out of you. Best council tax bill recieved to date was for £2.40 - 1 day of council tax between tenancies.
Barnsley Council also like to get as much out of you as possible for houses we own in Goldthorpe that we cannot let out because of vandalism, anti social behaviour & theft.