Policy to bring more empty homes into use to be discussed by Executive
06 November 2025
In a bid to cut housing shortages in the area - North Northamptonshire Council has proposed changes to the type of properties that are required to pay a council tax premium.
The policy is designed to encourage owners to bring properties back into use more quickly and will be discussed at the authority’s Executive next week.
Currently – owners of homes that are empty and unfurnished for up to two years are required to pay council tax on the properties. Under the new proposals – from 1 April, 2026, payment of the levy would be increased by 100% after the home was empty after one year instead of two years, though exceptions may apply.
The other part of the policy change would be to start charging council tax premium on second homes. The council does not currently do this.
As 12 months’ notice is needed to introduce this charge – it is proposed that this would be introduced from 1 April, 2027.
For Council Tax purposes, a ‘second home’ is defined as a dwelling which is not a person’s sole or main residence and is substantially furnished.
This is an important step in meeting one of our commitments of the corporate plan which is to improve the standard of new and existing homes and ensuring housing supply meets demand.Cllr Martin Griffiths, Leader of the Council
Like elsewhere we have a shortage of housing available to our residents, so anything we can do to increased supply is absolutely the right thing to be doing.
The council currently has 3,138 properties that have been determined as empty, with 453 of those regarded as long term empty based on the current council criteria (empty for more than two years).
There are 2,685 properties that have been empty between zero and two years.