Landlords who fail to rent out properties in Lewisham to be hit with huge council tax bills

Lewisham landlords who do not rent out their property will have their council tax doubled.

The charge for long-term empty homes in Lewisham has been increased from 50 per cent extra, on top of the normal rate, to 100 per cent if the flat is unoccupied for two years or more.

Lewisham’s mayor and cabinet approved the increase for the borough, which has been allowed since November.

The council currently charges an empty homes premium of 50 per cent where a property has been unoccupied for two years or more.

From April 1 owners of homes left empty for between two and five years will have to shell out a premium of 100 per cent, while there will be a 200 per cent premium on those left empty for five years or more, with further “incremental increases” past that.

The premium does not apply to an annex or if the owner is in the armed forces.

The report presented to mayor and cabinet stated: “In November 2018 the Act was amended increasing the premium from 50 per cent to 100 per cent effective from April 1, 2019, with further incremental increases in future years.

“Authorities can now charge 100 per cent more council tax on a long-term empty property when compared to an occupied property where no single person discount is applicable.

“This report recommends that the premium increases from 50 per cent to 100 per cent from April 1 2020 for properties empty between two and five years and 200 per cent for those properties empty five year or more.”

The council will take in £70 million in council tax in the year 2020/21, it has estimated.