Almost a hundred empty homes in the city are now being lived in again – helped by the threat of quadrupled council tax.
Brighton and Hove City Council introduced new rates of council tax last year which increase the amount of council tax for empty homes – with those empty more than ten years paying 300 per cent more.
The council also has pre-existing powers to force owners to bring them back into use – from planning and environmental enforcement all the way to forcing owners to sell up.
Over the last year, the council’s empty properties team have not had to use any of these powers – just contacting owners and making them aware of the consequences of leaving their homes empty proved enough to get 99 privately owned homes back in use.
But there are still more standing unused – the most recent snapshot figures indicate that 861 homes in the city have been empty between one and five years, 56 homes between five and ten years and eight homes empty for more than ten years.
Councillor Gill Williams, the council’s cabinet member for housing and new homes, said: “Its’ great to see the amazing work our empty properties team’s been doing over the last year, breathing new life into almost 100 abandoned properties across the city.
“This is a fantastic achievement which will not only change lives of those who now get to call them home but also transform the area for the better by avoiding the buildings falling into disrepair or attracting anti-social behaviour.
“I’m also very pleased we will soon be introducing Council Tax premiums on second homes, in addition to the premiums on long-term empty homes we’ve introduced last year.
“This increases the incentive to owners of empty homes to bring them back into use, as well as helping raise additional income to help address housing need in the city.
“With the supply of housing in Brighton and Hove limited, we desperately need to make sure all empty properties are brought back into use. If you’re aware of a property in the city that has become empty or derelict, please do let us know.”
From Tuesday 1 April 2024, the council set the 100 per cent council tax premium applicable to long-term empty and unfurnished properties to come in after a year.
This means that unfurnished empty homes now become liable to pay double council tax after being empty for one year. This increases to 300 per cent council tax liability after five years and 400 per cent for properties empty for ten years.
Furnished properties are liable to pay double council tax immediately they’re left empty.
The council will also be introducing a new 100 per cent council tax premium on second homes in the city from Tuesday 1 April this year. Councillors agreed to introduce this premium on the earliest date national regulations allow.
The options for councils to apply premiums on second homes and long-term empty properties were introduced under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill 2023.
If you know of an empty property, click here to let the council know.
I’m 100% behind taxing empty and holiday properties. It allows the freedom to choose if they want to hold a secondary property, with a fair consequence that it will cost you more to do so.
Broadly with you. Whilst property prices for both buying & renting have long been impacted, at least in tangible part, across the city. I’d maybe prefer the start point to be 18 months-2years for any owner who can demonstrate a medium – long term habitation of the property preceding the vacant period.
This would give a bit more leeway for eg: those leaving the family home to go & provide care for an elderly relative or someone with serious medical conditions or complications. Often in those circumstances it’s perceived that the move would be for a matter of months but outside of their control that period carries on extending.
With that kind of uncertainty & no intent to abandon their own property. Renting it out would be unviable & selling undesirable.
Of course those holding property to use it 2-4 weeks a year & maybe for xmas or those with no sustained link to living in the city & just holding it speculatively and/or to only make use of in 5-10-15 years time should, rightly, pay for the privilege of denying housing stock to those living here and in need.
That is a very balanced point. Those exceptional circumstances shouldn’t be punished.
Well done Brighton & Hove perhaps it will give impetus to all Councils and then we do not have to build on green belt land!!
So how many of Brighton & Hove Councils own properties are empty ? I would suggest a high number , they need to practice what they preach .
In January 2023 there were 134 empty council homes. I could not find the figure for 2024.
These are reports that are provided every quarter at Area Panels.
Q3 2024/25 – 119 (previous quarter 116) with a 29-day average turnaround (improved from 39) according to the latest Housing Performance Report (March 2025). But that’s also a snapshot and doesn’t explain why, such as being in major works.
I would therefore suggest that they are indeed practising what they preach, John!
Well attacking people who own private property with council tax hikes isn’t going to do much to help bring the cost of renting down, landlords that own multiple properties don’t pay council tax the tenants do.
Stop and think for a moment. If the property that the landlord owns is empty, who pays the council tax? It won’t be the non-existent tenant, will it?
What’s to stop a landlord registraring someone in it to claim a 25% discount