Vale Council will continue its policy of levying a council tax premium on certain properties despite concerns that renovating homeowners are being “unwittingly” caught out.
Councillors voted at a meeting on Monday to continue with its policy of charging a council tax premium on long term empty homes and second homes.
As part of the policy, homes that have remained empty for up to 24 months are charged twice as much for council tax and properties that have remained empty for up to 36 months will be charged a 150% premium.
Home that have been empty for more than 36 months will be charged a 200% council tax premium.
The idea behind the premium is to bring more empty homes back into use for families and individuals who need them.
Cllr George Carroll, leader of the Conservative group, said his party supports the principle of bringing long term empty properties back into use.
However, he added that he could not support the policy in its current form after he was approached by a constituent who was caught out “unwittingly” by it.
Cllr Carroll said: “The case involved a first time buyer who was living with their parents while they were renovating that property."
“They faced a double council tax bill because those renovations took longer than was anticipated."
“In my view it is quite wrong for people to be caught by the policy like this. I would even go further…and say it is counter productive to do so."
“If the policy operates as it has been, people are actually going to be less likely to acquire properties that maybe derelict or are in need of work because they will face a larger council tax liability than they would…if they bought a property that was habitable immediately.”
The council started charging a 100% council tax premium on second homes in the Vale from 1st April 2024 - a year after plans were approved.
Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Ian Johnson said he was in support of the council’s proposal to continue with the council tax premiums policy, referencing the number of homes that had already been brought back into permanent use.
A council report states that 402 second homes were initially identified as being eligible to be subject to a premium when the policy was approved.
This rose to 508 properties in November 2023. However, the report also states that there are currently 339 properties subject to the 100% premium for second homes.
At the end of 2024, Vale Council had nearly 7,000 people on its council housing waiting list.
Council leader Cllr Lis Burnett said: “Far too often we go through the numbers of people in the Vale that are searching for homes."
“To base a policy on one case is quite difficult, so I won’t accept Cllr Carroll’s [point] except to say that this council is actually part of the empty homes grant scheme."
“This council has supported a number of property owners to bring their empty houses back into use and I actually know in my own ward of two properties that have been a blight for many years that are now back and form part of the housing stock and…also they are good quality homes.”
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