Consultation on council tax premiums for empty and second homes

Overview

Richmond Council is consulting on proposed exceptions to the long-term empty and second homes premiums that will be introduced from 1st April 2025.

The Council recognises that empty homes and second homes can have an impact in some communities where a proportion of properties are not occupied all year round. Large numbers of empty homes can contribute to housing supply pressures, whilst also reducing the desirability of local areas. Second homes can provide flexibility to enable people to work in and contribute to the local community, whilst being able to return to a family home in another part of the country on a regular basis. However, second homes do reduce the availability of permanent housing in an area where housing supply is under considerable pressure. For these reasons, the Council is looking for ways to bring empty and underused homes back into use.

What has been decided so far?

In 2023, the Government passed the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, which provides councils with discretionary powers to introduce further premiums on empty and second homes. In Februrary 2024, the Council decided to introduce the following changes to premiums on empty and second homes.

Please click here if you want to read more about the Council's decision.

To read more about the Government's guidance around implementation and exceptions to the empty and second homes premiums, please click here.

Why are we consulting?

The Council would like to give residents the opportunity to give feedback regarding the proposed exceptions. We would like to know in what circumstances, and for what length of time, you think there should be exceptions to the new premiums. Your response will help the Council decide the circumstances where exceptions to the empty and second homes premiums will apply.

Have your say

Please give us your feedback using the Online Survey link below. If you need to request a paper questionnaire or any other format, please contact us on consultation@richmond.gov.uk or 020 8891 7219.

What happens next

All feedback we receive in response to the consultation will be carefully considered before a decision is made on the way forward.