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May bank holiday services

Find our opening times and changes to services over the May bank holiday, including revised rubbish and recycling collections, parking restrictions and customer contact centre hours. 

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Empty property charges

Council tax is payable on properties that are empty.  A 100% council tax premium will be charged on properties left empty for two years or longer. This is known as the ‘empty homes premium’.

A full council tax charge applies to all empty properties, including:

  • second homes
  • unoccupied but furnished properties
  • properties undergoing major repair or structural alteration
  • properties that are unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for less than two years.

Properties empty for more than two years

  • If a property is unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for between two and five years, you are liable for a 200 per cent council tax charge per year.
  • If a property has been empty for more than five years, you are liable for a 300 per cent council tax charge per year.

Bring your empty property back in use

If you want help to bring your empty property back into use, contact the residential environmental health team:

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