We need a serious policy to tackle the scandal of empty homes sitting vacant across Scotland while families struggle to find affordable housing. This proposal calls for a significant increase in council tax on properties that have been unoccupied and unfurnished for more than six months. The current system just isn't biting hard enough. Landlords and owners can afford to leave properties empty, sometimes as investments or while they decide what to do with them, and it's a massive waste of a resource that could be housing people.
This isn't about punishing people who are genuinely away for a short period or whose homes are undergoing essential repairs. There would be clear exemptions for military personnel posted abroad, those in care, or properties undergoing major renovation, with proper documentation required.
🏴 The CaledoniaNow Party
Discussion (4)
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If someone owns a property and can afford the increased council tax, what’s really stopping them from just absorbing that cost? It feels like it might only hit those who are already struggling, or it could just become another business expense for larger property companies that they’ll just pass on anyway. We need something that forces sales or rentals, not just adds a fee.
My aunt in Bath has a second flat she keeps empty, mostly because she's too lazy to deal with tenants. She'd probably just pay an extra council tax bill and keep it as her own private storage unit. It’s not like she needs the money, she just likes the idea of owning it. Maybe they need to make the tax a percentage of the property value, not just a flat fee.