Empty properties will cost more in council tax

5:37pm Monday 14th January 2008

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Owners of empty properties in Hounslow will pay more council tax on them.

Hounslow Council's executive introduced the measure in an effort to bring empty homes back in to use and say it will raise an extra £200,000 for its coffers.

“We want to get more empty homes back into use, and by making it less affordable to keep an empty home, it might encourage people who have vacant properties to do more to get them back into use.”

Councillor Mark Bowen

Currently people owning an empty property get a 40 per cent reduction in council tax on them - but that relief has been cut to 10 per cent from next April.

Councillor Mark Bowen, the council's deputy leader, said: "Any property lying empty is a waste, and by offering a large discount to people who have them, it might suggest we are encouraging this.

"We want to get more empty homes back into use, and by making it less affordable to keep an empty home, it might encourage people who have vacant properties to do more to get them back into use."

New demand notices for 2008/9 are expected to be issued to taxpayers in mid-March.

The council says the extra money will be put towards reducing the overall council tax.