hrothgar

If spending 6 months in Spain and UK property empty - are you still liable for council tax? ( about £600 - that will buy a lot of beer!).
Any info on this from someone who has been in that position would be appreciated, thanks.

rugbymatt

You will get a rebate if you can prove non residence, my landlord has a couple of properties in Scotland and they are all part occupancy, he pays only 6 months CT.

Matt C

Is Scotland different from England - I was led to believe that you were only exempt from Council Tax if the property is completely empty i.e. no furniture etc.

Fairydust

Yes thats right it has to be unfurnished and you can only be exempt for 6 months in 1 year

jdr

You better check on your UK health cover also.
If you are out the UK for I think its more than 3 months, you lose your benefit and have to re-apply.

Sam Greenfield

No sink installed we were told when we were doing our last house up - why i dont know?????

rugbymatt

It is slightly different in Scotland but he is pretty well versed in property law and I generally take his advice to mind.

I will say also that if the house is being left for 6 months and you have House insurance they will need to know, because in some cases it will render your home insurance null and void.

rugbymatt

There are actually several layers to the Council Tax rebate system, and it also depends as to which area you live.

Sam Greenfield

You know how we are on about coming over for 12 months were do you think we stand on leaving our house - it wont be empty coz my dad and our 3 kids will be staying there till we get sorted in Spain. My dad is 83 2 of the kids are at college and one works - do you think he will have to pay full CT????? I could always take the kitchen sink with me if it will help lol.

rugbymatt

If one works then yeah I'm afraid, I have a feeling there may be some kind of rebate if someone didnt work as your dad would be eligible for some discount as would whoever is at study.


I have never heard the kitchen sink one, it may or may not be an urban myth.

A couple of years back at my last home I took the CT people to court over a valuation of my house, we had a little studio flat stuck on the side of a farm house and we were paying the same council tax as Blenheim Palace!!

Splatt

AFAIK, once a property falls empty it is exempt from council tax for a period of six months, after that if it remains empty tax is charged at 50%.
To qualify for a nil rating the property must be derelict. I'm afraid there's no easy way to get that status either, we're talking boarded up windows and no utilities.
I once claimed a property was uninhabitable (after a shocking tenant left) and was told that I would have to supply two sets of estimates for all the remedial works and a schedule of when they would be completed.
So the bottom line is, 50% discount is the best you'll do!

Ste

rugbymatt

I don't thing that the OP wanted no council tax payments, just wanted to know what they would be liable for.

Sam Greenfield

Ok ta Matt - will have to save up some more then - we are leaving enough for the mortgages payments but thought coz he was only one working we may have got away with some - i know what you mean about CT
- we have built an extension on our house so dad could move in after losing my mum and they want to come and reassess our banding now - we havent finished the extension completely so not letting them in till its done and if we come over to Spain it will be after then when and if we put it up for sale that it will be completed finally - i'm sure i'll be in trouble again - but am i bovvered?????
Thanks again