New commitment from Central Beds to help bring empty homes back into use

At last week’s Central Beds Council meeting, Leighton Linslade North Councillor Nigel Carnell secured a commitment from the Independent administration to review Council policy to help make it easier to bring empty homes back into use.

At present the Council charges higher Council Tax for homes that are left empty for long periods of time as a way to encourage them to be brought back into use. This can be up to four times the usual Council Tax rate.

However, once the property is sold the new owner also has to pay this increased rate.

Councillor Carnell called on the Council to rethink this policy which can unfairly penalise these new owners who need to do renovations on a property that may be uninhabitable in order to bring it back into use.

Councillor Nigel Carnell, Leighton Linslade North ward said:

“I am delighted that the Council has agreed to review this policy which can have a huge financial impact on local residents who are working to bring empty and possibly derelict properties back into use so that they can become family homes again.

“With high demand for homes in our area it is really important that the Council ensures it uses every tool available to avoid empty homes in our communities and to support those who want to bring them back into good use.”

The question and answer from the Executive member can be viewed here: https://centralbedfordshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/875325/start_time/5570000?force_language_code=en_GB