Call for council tax relief on empty landlord properties

Call for council tax relief on empty landlord properties

11:38 AM, 24th April 2020, About 4 years ago 93

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The NRLA are calling on Ministers to instruct local authorities that they should not charge council tax on rented homes left empty because of the coronavirus.

A significant number of rented homes have been left empty because tenants have been unable to take up tenancies, or have chosen to move out to be closer to family during the lockdown. During this period landlords will become liable for the council tax on the property and have no realistic prospect of finding new tenants.

The National Residential Landlords Association is asking the Government to tell councils that they should exempt houses have been left empty as a result of the virus from council tax demands.

A recent survey by the NRLA found that 41% of landlords are concerned about having to cover the unexpected costs of utility bills and council tax.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the NRLA, said: “It is manifestly unfair for landlords to be asked to pay council tax on properties which are empty, and likely to remain so, because of the impact of the pandemic. Whilst we remain supportive of the measures taken so far by the Government, landlords are being asked to absorb more costs at a time when they are least able.

“Unlike most small businesses and the self-employed, there has been no direct support package announced for landlords. Removing this unnecessary burden would at least help those landlords who are struggling to cope with drastically reduced income.”


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Comments

Adrian Jones

9:31 AM, 3rd May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Shears at 02/05/2020 - 22:09
I've used these in the past and can recommend them. The beauty is you can choose what level of service you want.

Ingrid Bacsa

17:42 PM, 3rd May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Susan Bradley at 03/05/2020 - 07:09
Probably moving due to not being able to pay last 2 months and can get away with it if they move pronto and even get deposit back under corona rules.

Susan Bradley

20:57 PM, 3rd May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Ingrid Bacsa at 03/05/2020 - 17:42
Good tip. I will have to check them out thoroughly.

Paul Shears

21:23 PM, 4th May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Shears at 28/04/2020 - 16:50
Well it's been nearly a week now and still no response from MP Steve Brine. Perhaps that extra £10K/Yr admin support allowance was not enough.

Paul Shears

16:26 PM, 5th May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Shears at 04/05/2020 - 21:23
I just received a reply from my MP as follows:
"I will feed your concerns into discussion with senior colleagues by way of writing to DHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Gov't) as casework. I shall ask them to respond and share the reply with you."

Fed Up Landlord

16:57 PM, 5th May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Shears at 05/05/2020 - 16:26
Well my MP says shes referred it up so hopefully if enough people do it we might get a result.

Paul Shears

17:06 PM, 5th May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Gary Nock at 05/05/2020 - 16:57
Well if we don't ask, we will not get. If we make any progress with this it will be thanks to you. 🙂

Reluctant Landlord

20:35 PM, 5th May 2020, About 4 years ago

Anyone feeling completely generous as to copy/paste the complete email that they have sent, so ALL of us can re-name it and send it to our own MP/s please? Let's blast their inboxes and make them talk about this with the intention of spurring a change asap.

Paul Shears

20:42 PM, 5th May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by WP at 05/05/2020 - 20:35
Dear Mr (MP) Re: Council Tax exemption on empty properties in the current Covid19 crisis:
At least one MP is referring the matter to government due to the situation the councils are placing landlords in.
The Class "G" exemption does not just have one sub- clause. It has two. Or possibly three.
"Class G: an unoccupied dwelling the occupation of which is prohibited by law,( Clause 1) OR which is kept unoccupied by reason of action taken under powers conferred by or under any Act of Parliament, ( Clause2) WITH A VIEW to prohibiting its occupation or to acquiring it”( Clause3).
The "or" is crucial.
This means that any Act does not have to prohibit occupation per se- merely that it triggers the clause "has a view to doing so".
This is a deliberately broad definition.
The Coronavirus Act certainly “has a view" to prohibiting occupation.
That is its purpose in stopping the spread of the disease.
What the councils have done is looked at the first part of the Class “G" definition without also looking at the other two which are less precise.
This is an interpretative and legislative error on their part. Independently of the above, Valuation Tribunals will be receiving a huge number of inevitable appeals driven by financial crisis, which in turn, will generate tenant homelessness due to landlord bankruptcy after Covid19.
All this could be avoided by a simple government directive to councils to suspend council tax on properties rendered vacant due to, and for the duration of, the Covid19 crisis.
Regards
(Landlord name)

Paul Shears

20:44 PM, 5th May 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by WP at 05/05/2020 - 20:35
Dear WP.
Thanks for prompting me.
I hope this helps others.
Obviously Gary Nock deserves the credit for this.

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