Vale Council continues housing tax policy despite concerns people are being ‘unwittingly’ caught out

Vale of Glamorgan: The council is sticking to its guns on a tax policy that’s got some homeowners in a bit of a bind. They decided to keep charging a premium on long-term empty homes and second homes, even though some folks are getting caught off guard.

So, here’s the deal: if a home has been empty for up to 24 months, the council tax doubles. If it’s empty for 36 months, it jumps to 150%, and over 36 months, it’s a whopping 200%. The idea is to get these empty places back into use for families who need them.

Cllr George Carroll, the Conservative group leader, is all for getting these empty homes occupied. But he’s not on board with how the policy is currently set up. He shared a story about a first-time buyer who was renovating a property but ended up with a hefty double tax bill because the work took longer than expected.

He thinks it’s unfair for people to be hit with such a tax when they’re trying to improve a property. He worries that this could discourage people from buying homes that need a bit of TLC, making them think twice about taking on a fixer-upper.

The council started charging a 100% premium on second homes back in April 2024. They approved this whole premium plan in 2023, and Cllr Ian Johnson from Plaid Cymru supports it, pointing out that it’s helped bring some homes back into use.

According to a council report, they initially found 402 second homes eligible for the premium, which has now grown to 508. But right now, only 339 properties are actually paying that 100% premium.

With nearly 7,000 people on the housing waiting list, Cllr Lis Burnett, the council leader, says it’s tough to base policy on just one case. She mentioned that the council is part of a grant scheme to help property owners fix up their empty homes, and she’s seen some real improvements in her own area.