{"id":409,"date":"2026-02-01T20:19:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T20:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/social-aqua-leopard.92-42-105-87.cpanel.site\/?p=409"},"modified":"2026-02-01T20:34:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T20:34:53","slug":"empty-homes-council-tax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/?p=409","title":{"rendered":"Empty Homes &amp; Council Tax"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"409\" class=\"elementor elementor-409\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b4d3668 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b4d3668\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7762e2f elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7762e2f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Empty Homes &amp; Council Tax<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b7f79ef e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3b7f79ef\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c718d8a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1c718d8a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a11b11c e-con-full animated-slow e-flex elementor-invisible e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5a11b11c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e5dff86 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"e5dff86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-577b6ee elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-user-circle\" viewBox=\"0 0 496 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M248 104c-53 0-96 43-96 96s43 96 96 96 96-43 96-96-43-96-96-96zm0 144c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48s21.5-48 48-48 48 21.5 48 48-21.5 48-48 48zm0-240C111 8 0 119 0 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248S385 8 248 8zm0 448c-49.7 0-95.1-18.3-130.1-48.4 14.9-23 40.4-38.6 69.6-39.5 20.8 6.4 40.6 9.6 60.5 9.6s39.7-3.1 60.5-9.6c29.2 1 54.7 16.5 69.6 39.5-35 30.1-80.4 48.4-130.1 48.4zm162.7-84.1c-24.4-31.4-62.1-51.9-105.1-51.9-10.2 0-26 9.6-57.6 9.6-31.5 0-47.4-9.6-57.6-9.6-42.9 0-80.6 20.5-105.1 51.9C61.9 339.2 48 299.2 48 256c0-110.3 89.7-200 200-200s200 89.7 200 200c0 43.2-13.9 83.2-37.3 115.9z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmpty Homes North West\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-24ae659 elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-calendar\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M12 192h424c6.6 0 12 5.4 12 12v260c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V204c0-6.6 5.4-12 12-12zm436-44v-36c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48h-48V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H160V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v36c0 6.6 5.4 12 12 12h424c6.6 0 12-5.4 12-12z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSeptember 8, 2025\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b818097 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4b818097\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b8b2beb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b8b2beb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What actually happens when you buy an empty home?\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e35b63 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2e35b63\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Investor Penalised for Renovating Vacant Property\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30773c78 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"30773c78\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAn investor recently sourced a property off-market and purchased it at full\nmarket value, with the clear intention of renovating and quickly returning it to the rental market. Within just three months, the renovation was completed to a high standard, the property was marketed, and successfully tenanted\u2014bringing a long-vacant home back into active use.\nHowever, during the renovation period, the investor received a council tax bill totaling \u00a31,478.97 for the three months the property was empty. Upon\ncontacting the local council to enquire about any potential discounts or relief for the period of renovation, they were informed that only properties undergoing structural work would qualify for a reduction.\nTo the investor\u2019s shock, the very next day after this enquiry, a court summons was issued\u2014accompanied by additional fines\u2014relating to the unpaid council tax. This action was taken without any further communication or opportunity for discussion.\nThe investor has since approached us, understandably frustrated. They took on a property that had sat empty for a significant period and invested time and money to improve it and bring it back into the local housing\nsupply. They feel strongly that the response from the council was not only unhelpful but also dismissive, with little understanding or appreciation for the value their investment brought to the community.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19ae4e5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"19ae4e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3473a3f4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3473a3f4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74e832c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"74e832c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">This situation raises an important question:\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d244f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2d244f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShould current council tax legislation be urgently reviewed to better support those actively working to improve housing stock?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What actually happens when you buy an empty home? Investor Penalised for Renovating Vacant Property An investor recently sourced a property off-market and purchased it at full market value, with the clear intention of renovating and quickly returning it to the rental market. Within just three months, the renovation was completed to a high standard, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=409"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":422,"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409\/revisions\/422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emptyhomesnorthwest.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}