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Councillors have recommended that owners of long-term empty properties in Eastbourne should have to pay council tax premiums of up to 300 per cent starting from next year.

The recommendation was made by cabinet councillors last night (December 13).

Under these proposals, premiums would begin at 100 per cent for homes that are unoccupied and substantially unfurnished between one and five years of becoming empty, 200 per cent for between five and 10 years, and 300 per cent for more than 10 years of becoming empty.

Currently, these empty homes are all subject to a 50 per cent premium.

Councillors have recommended that owners of long-term empty properties in Eastbourne should have to pay council tax premiums of up to 300 per cent starting from next year. Photo: staff

At yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, councillors also agreed – subject to Full Council - that second home owners will have to pay twice as much council tax from April 2025, when a 100 per cent premium will come into force on properties that are nobody’s main residence and are substantially furnished.

These proposed changes are in line with the majority of councils across the country and follow the introduction of new rules by government that allow local authorities to set higher council tax premiums on empty and second homes.

In Eastbourne, there are currently 281 homes standing long-term empty and 781 properties being used as a second home.

Councillor Robin Maxted, cabinet member for finance and resources, said: “It is unacceptable that homes are standing empty in Eastbourne at a time of housing crisis when levels of homelessness are rapidly rising and there are soaring numbers of people being placed in temporary accommodation.

“Empty homes also blight neighbourhoods and attract antisocial behaviour and crime.

“These changes are intended to discourage homeowners from leaving properties empty for no valid reason and encourage existing owners of empty homes to bring them back into use as main residences, helping to relieve the pressures of homelessness within our town.”

Under the changes, the existing 50 per cent discount on council tax for up to a year on empty homes that are undergoing structural repairs would be abolished from April 2024, as would the four-week discount of 100 per cent on unoccupied homes that are substantially furnished.

The cabinet’s recommendations will be decided upon at the next full council meeting.

Eastbourne councillors call for owners of second homes to face higher tax premiums