Merthyr Tydfil Council said it will be participating in a scheme to bring empty homes back into use after its plans to charge higher council tax on long term empty properties were labelled as “all stick and no carrot” by Labour. The council is considering plans to charge a council tax premium on long term empty properties and second homes in Merthyr Tydfil.
The empty property proposal would mean that a property that has remained unoccupied and largely unfurnished for a continuous period of at least one year may be liable for a premium charge. This could be up to 300% from April 1, 2023 on top of the standard rate of council tax. The council says that there are 450 homes in the county borough that have been empty for more than six months.
But the local Labour MP and opposition Labour councillors had said that they uncovered details that the independent-run council had not signed up to the Welsh Government’s ‘Empty Homes Grant’ scheme which makes grants of up to £25,000 available to help people renovate empty properties to make them safe to live in and improve their energy efficiency. But the council has now said that it will be participating in the scheme and has registered an interest.
