Council tax discounts and exemptions

You don’t have to pay Council Tax on an empty home if the person who owned or rented it has died, and their estate (money and belongings) is responsible for it.

If someone passes away and they were the only person living in a property, you don’t have to pay Council Tax on that home while it’s empty. This lasts until probate (the legal process of dealing with their belongings) is granted, and up to  6 months after that. After this time, Council Tax must be paid.

You must still pay Council Tax if:

• Someone else owns or rents the property with them
• Someone aged 18 or older is still living there (unless it's for less than 6 weeks)
• The property is given straight to someone in the will

If you are a landlord and your property is left empty after a tenant passed away, the property is exempt from the date of death until the date that the tenancy ends.

Extra Council Tax charges:

If a property stays empty for more than a year after probate is given, it might be charged extra Council Tax (a premium). This can happen if no one lives there as their main home, whether it has furniture or not.

However, this extra charge won’t apply during the first 12 months after probate is granted.