Watford Council Tax to Double on Empty and Second Homes

Watford has quite a few empty houses. Census data shows 2,135 homes sit unused. This equals 5.2% of all Watford housing. Demand for places to live is very high right now. The council wants to fix this problem quickly.

They plan to raise council tax on empty houses. They also plan to double the tax on second homes. Mayor Peter Taylor thinks this is important and says it’s wrong for homes to sit empty. Families struggle to find housing in Watford. Stronger rules could help get homes back in use.

The government gave councils more power on taxes. This lets them tax vacant properties more. Watford plans to use this power soon. Currently, homes empty for two years face double tax. The new plan taxes after just one year.

This starts in April, if approved. Rates stay the same after five and ten years empty. The tax changes could make £332,000 for the council, expected in 2025/26. The second home tax change starts in April 2026.

The council wants more homes available for locals. They want to reduce underused properties. This helps people needing homes find them. A second home is furnished, says the government. Nobody lives there as their main address. The council decides if a property qualifies.

Some empty homes are exempt from extra taxes, including annexes and military housing. The council will talk about the plans on March 11, and will decide what to do next with these taxes.