If a property is empty, and contains no furniture, it will be exempt for the first 6 months from the date it became unfurnished.

This date may be before you took over the property. This would mean you would only receive that part of the 6 month exempt period that applies to you.

Long-term empty properties (continuous period of at least one year) are subject to a premium from 1 April 2024. 

Second homes

In Newport there is no discount allowable for such properties. A council tax premium will come into effect from 1 April 2025. 

Exception

Where a dwelling has been left empty because a person must live elsewhere, e.g. as supplied by their employment, there is an exception to the general rule that no discount is allowable. 

In these cases, a 50% discount can be awarded.

Second homes owned by people in the armed services

Councils in Wales must give 50% discount for second homes owned by armed forces personnel who live in accommodation provided by the Ministry of Defence.

You can ask for a council tax exemption if your property is:

  • undergoing major repairs or structural changes
  • empty and owned by a charity
  • substantially unfurnished and empty for less than six months
  • tenant detained in a prison, hospital or other place of court ordered detention
  • person gone to live in a residential care or mental nursing home, including hostels 
  • council taxpayer deceased
  • occupation prohibited by law or an act of parliament
  • held for a minister of religion
  • person living elsewhere to receive or provide personal care
  • left empty by a student                                                                                               
  • mortgagee in possession                                                                                                                   
  • left empty by a bankrupt person
  • empty caravan pitch or boat mooring
  • empty annex to an occupied building
  • an empty annex which may not be let separately

Apply online

Once someone resumes living in your property, please update your council tax details.

Request a paper form by contacting [email protected].

Contact us

Completing our form will mean we can direct your enquiry to the correct team and provide a quicker response.

If you are already registered for council tax, please have your council tax account reference to hand before starting to complete the form - it is an eight digit number and begins with a three.

Contact us