Have your say on proposed changes to council tax premium for long-term empty properties

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils have launched a public survey on proposals to reduce the minimum timeframe to charge a council tax premium on long-term empty properties.

Currently, the councils allow a maximum duration of up to two years for a domestic property to remain unoccupied and substantially unfurnished before an additional, long-term empty council tax ‘premium’ charge is incurred, on top of the normal full 100 per cent charge.

Recent changes in council tax legislation now allow councils to reduce this minimum timeframe from two years to just one year. If this change is adopted, a new policy on long-term empty properties would come into effect from 1 April 2026 – to allow sufficient time for empty property owners to plan or adjust their plans accordingly.

The long-term aim of the proposal is to see as many homes brought back into use as soon as possible.

You can have your say via a link to the survey online here: