The standard Council Tax charge for an empty property is 100% of the charge for that property’s band and town or parish. There is no ‘grace period’ or automatic discount for empty homes, including if they are on the market or undergoing repairs. You may also have to pay a premium on top of the full Council Tax charge, if your property is long-term empty or a second home.
Long-term empty home premium
A property counts as a long-term empty home if all the following apply:
- it is not occupied by anyone as their sole or main home
- it is substantially unfurnished
- it has been unoccupied and unfurnished for at least one year
If your property is a long-term empty home, you will usually have to pay an empty home premium on top of the standard Council Tax charge. The premium increases the longer the property is empty and unfurnished, as follows:
| Years empty and unfurnished | Total charge | What this means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 year | Normal rate | Your bill stays the same |
| 1 year | Normal rate plus 100% premium | Your bill is doubled |
| 5 years | Normal rate plus 200% premium | Your bill is tripled |
| 10 years or more | Normal rate plus 300% premium | Your bill is quadrupled |
You will not have to pay the extra charge if your property meets the criteria for a Council Tax discount or exemption, or if it qualifies for an exception to the empty home premium.
Second home premium
A property counts as a second home if all the following apply:
- it is not occupied by anyone as their sole or main home
- it is substantially furnished (i.e. there is enough furniture in the property for someone to live there)
From April 2026, if your property is a second home, you will usually have to pay a second home premium on top of the standard Council Tax charge. The premium applies as soon as the property becomes a second home.
The total charge is the normal rate of Council Tax plus 100% premium, so your bill is doubled.
You will not have to pay the extra charge if your property meets the criteria for a Council Tax discount or exemption, or if it qualifies for an exception to the second home premium.
Exceptions to the empty home and second home premiums
The government has made regulations to provide exceptions to the premiums from April 2025. A 12-month exception from the premiums will apply to properties which are:
- being actively marketed for sale or rent
- undergoing probate
- unfurnished and undergoing major repairs or structural alterations
If an exception applies, you will have to pay the normal Council Tax charge for the property but will not have to pay the premium. If you think that your property may be eligible for an exception from the empty home premium, please apply online.
Apply for an empty home premium exception
If you are unable to apply online, please call 0300 300 8000 or email counciltax@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk and ask for an “Empty Property Information” form to be sent to you.
An exception with no time limit will apply to properties which are:
- job-related dwellings
- armed forces accommodation, or unoccupied because you are living in armed forces accommodation
- family annexes
- unoccupied caravans and boats
- furnished seasonal homes which are restricted by planning conditions
We will use the information we hold about your property to decide whether these exceptions apply. You do not need to apply. If you think you should be eligible for an exception which has not been awarded, please email counciltax@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.
Find out more about the Empty Home Premium exceptions on GOV.UK.
Discounts and exemptions
Some empty properties qualify for a discount or exemption if they are empty for a specific reason (for example, because the former resident is living in a care home). If your property is exempt from Council Tax, or you receive a Council Tax discount on it, you do not have to pay an empty home or second home premium on the property.
Find out about property discounts and exemptions.
Help with empty properties
The empty homes premium is intended as an incentive to ensure properties are occupied as soon as possible. Empty homes can:
- cause a nuisance to neighbours
- be dangerous
- attract vandals and anti-social behaviour
- decrease the value of neighbouring homes
We introduced the premium to encourage owners of empty homes to bring their properties back into use. If you need help bringing your property back into use, you can get advice and financial support.