Owners of empty homes in Chichester face 300 per cent council tax premium after ten years

Homeowners in Chichester whose property has been left empty for more than 10 years will soon have to pay a 300 per cent council tax premium.
Chichester District Council newsChichester District Council news
Chichester District Council news

The decision was made at a meeting of the district council’s cabinet on Tuesday (October 6) in an effort to see empty homes brought back into use as soon as possible.

While the premium is only expected to add another £2,000 to the council’s coffers, when lumped in with the premiums already in place for other empty homes, it adds up to £20,000.

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Paul Jobson, the council’s revenues and debt recovery manager, told the meeting that 39 homes in the district had been empty for two to five years, 17 for between five and ten years, and 15 for more than ten years.

Mr Jobson said help was available for people who may have inherited such a home, only to find themselves landed with a hefty council tax bill.

He said: “We will work with all customers who inherit or purchase a property that has been long-term empty. We will work with them to make a special payment plan.”

Karen Dunn , Local Democracy Reporting Service