Bath and North East Somerset Council does not offer any Council Tax discounts or exemptions for properties that are solely:

• Requiring structural repair to make them habitable (uninhabitable);
• Unoccupied & unfurnished;
• Unoccupied & furnished; or
• Second homes (where someone has a main residence elsewhere)

In the above cases, 100% Council Tax is payable. In some cases, empty properties can be discounted or exempt and further information on this can be found in the Discounts & Exemptions section.

If you own a long-term empty property - we now charge 150% Council Tax on properties that have been empty for two years. This started on 1 April 2013 and the aim of this is to try and reduce the number of long-term empty properties in our area so we can get as many as possible back into use for local people.

Please be aware that the 150% charge is levied on properties that are uninhabitable and/or unoccupied & unfurnished. This charge begins from the second anniversary of the property becoming empty and is charged regardless of any change in ownership during that period. This does mean that if a long-term empty property is purchased, the new owner will become liable for the 150% charge until the circumstances at the property change.

Help to bring empty properties back into use is available – Please contact the Empty Property Officer on 01225 396411 or email empty_properties@bathnes.gov.uk. For further information visit the Council’s empty property webpage.