Government To Allow Councils To Charge Double Council Tax On Empty Homes

Thousands of long-term empty properties across England could be brought back into use as the Government introduces new legislation allowing English councils to charge double the rate of council tax on homes left empty for years. The number of homes empty for six months or longer remains substantially lower than when records began in 2004, councils will be handed powers to levy additional charges on homes standing empty for two years or more. Councils will be able to use funds from the premium to keep council tax levels down. Read more on 24housing.

http://www.24housing.co.uk/news/councils-can-charge-double-the-rate-of-council-tax-on-empty-homes/

Labour MP Suggests Doubling Tax For Top Value Homes

A senior Labour MP has suggested doubling council tax bills on the highest-value homes in England to ease the budget pressures facing local authorities. Chris Williamson, an ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, said increases could be staggered from 20% for a Band D home up to 100% for the top Band, H. He said his idea was not Labour policy. But he said it had a lot of support among Labour activists. The proposal was attacked by the Conservatives' newly-appointed housing minister, Dominic Raab. Read more on the BBC website.

Lib Dems to Give Local Authorities Power To Double Council Tax on Second Homes

The Liberal Democrats are proposing to give local authorities the power to double council tax on second homes in a bid to stop houses becoming too expensive for local people. The announcement comes as part of a package of measures in the party’s countryside charter, which commits the Lib Dems to “closing the gap” between rural and urban areas in the availability of high-speed broadband and extending the 5p per litre discount on fuel to more remote areas. A spokesperson for the party denied that the plans were an attack on those with holiday homes, arguing that local government in areas popular with second home owners had been crying out for such a measure for years. Read more on the Guardian website.