Council tax
National Empty Homes Week 2023
Published on
Walsall Council has been proactively tackling long term empty homes for a while now.
During 2022/23 it secured another five compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) on very long term empty homes and one has already been brought back into use. It has also used the powers available under the council tax charging system to levy additional charges.
Dwellings unoccupied and unfurnished for more than two years (and not exempt) are subject to double the normal rate of council tax. Those empty for more than five years, are subject to three times the normal rate and if a property has been empty for more than 10 years, then it will be subject to four times the normal rate of council tax.
From April 2024 the doubling of the council tax will start after a dwelling has been unoccupied and unfurnished for more than one year.
“ Long term empty homes are a wasted resource that are often a blight on a local community. We will continue to take action to address these. “
