Most councils in Wales have now introduced higher council tax rates for owners of empty or second homes. It comes after years of complaints that increased empty and second homes are forcing young people out of their home areas and leading to over-tourism.
Recently, a Welsh Government council tax report found that Wales was set to see a decrease in the number of second homes. According to council tax projection between the financial year of 2024-25, second home hotspots such as Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire and Anglesey were set to see a decrease. Meanwhile, Cardiff was set to see the most dramatic decrease in second homes.
It comes after the Welsh Government announced changes in 2022 to planning, taxation and plans for a new licensing scheme for holiday lets in Wales in response to rising concerns over the issue. By now, only three councils out of 22 - Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Torfaen, don't have any premiums for second or empty homes, although councillors from these counties have considered the measures.
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Here are all the areas in Wales where people are now being charged more council tax for long-empty and second homes. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.
Bridgend: up to 300% premium
In January of last year, Bridgend County Borough Council announced their plans for a 100% council tax increase on long-term empty properties. The decision came following the results of a public consultation that took place in November 2022. The increase came into force on April 1, 2023.
However, plans to raise council tax on second homes by the same amount were postponed, as members decided they needed more time to consider the impacts of the issue. In September of last year, a report looked into the planning and regeneration implications of applying a council tax premium to second homes.
It was then decided that from April 1, 2024, there would be council tax premiums on second homes in Bridgend. Like long term empty properties therefore, from April of this year all second homes in the county will be subject to a council tax charge of 200% of the annual charge for the first two years, after which the charge will increase to 300% of the annual charge. As it stands, Bridgend has a total of 1,003 chargeable empty properties and 88 chargeable second homes, according to StatsWales.
Carmarthenshire: up to 200% premium
Following a consultation period, the majority of councillors at Carmarthenshire Council approved the decision to introduce a premium charge in March of last year. From April 1, 2024, there will be a 50% premium on second homes and a 50% premium on properties which have been empty for one to two years, although there are exemptions.
The premium rises to 100%, or a doubling of council tax, for properties vacant for two to five years, and 200% for those empty more than five years. You can find out more here. According to StatsWales, Carmarthenshire has 2,464 chargeable empty properties and 993 chargeable second homes.
Cardiff: up to 100% premium
In the Welsh capital, Cardiff Council voted to increase the council tax premium on long term empty homes from 50% to 100% in March 2023. The increased premium on empty homes was brought into effect from April of last year, while the premium on second homes would be brought into effect in April of this year.
A recent Welsh Government council tax report projected that Cardiff was set to see the biggest decrease in the number of second homes in Wales. The number of second homes between the financial year of 2023-24 and 2024-25 is set to see a 37.9% fall, down from 3,225 to 2,000 properties in Cardiff. You can read more about this report here.
Ceredigion: up to 200% premium
Currently, Ceredigion Council only raises 25% more council tax on second homes, which is less than the 100% permitted by law in Wales since 2015. However in December 2023 and following an extensive consultation period which garnered over 1,400 responses, it was decided that council tax premiums on second homes and long term empty properties in the county would change from April 2024 onwards.
It was decided that council tax premiums would increase to 100% for properties that had been long term empty properties for up to and including five years, an increase to 150% for properties that had been long term empty properties for over five years and up to and including 10 years, and an increase to 200% for properties that had been long term empty properties for over 10 years.
As for second homes, the council decided that the existing 25% council tax premium would increase to 100%, and would take effect on April 1, 2024, before increasing to 150% in April 2025. Following the announcement, Councillor Bryan Davies said that he hoped the change would be "a positive step forward" in tackling long term empty properties in the county. StatsWales' figures show there are around 1,329 second homes and 542 empty properties in Ceredigion.
Conwy: up to 300% premium (subject to review)
In October 2023, Conwy County Council voted in favour of charging a 100% council tax premium on second and long-term empty properties from April 2024. The change included an indicative premium level of 200% on both second homes and empty homes from April 1, 2025.
It was also agreed that an increased premium of 300% would be introduced for properties empty for five years or more, subject to a review during the financial year of 2024-25. You can read more about this here. According to StatsWales, there are 1,371 chargeable second homes and 918 chargeable empty properties in Conwy.
Denbighshire: up to 200% premium
As of April 2023, there were 642 long term empty properties and 393 second homes in Denbighshire. In September of that year, it was decided that council tax premium on long term empty homes and second homes would increase.
Previously, Denbighshire Council charged a 50% council tax premium for properties that had been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for 12 months or more and for second homes. By April of this year however, all long term empty homes and second homes in Denbighshire will be charged 100% over the standard charge.
Furthermore, it has been decided that all long term empty homes, which have been empty for a continuous period of five years or longer will be charged an additional 50% over the proposed increases. This means the charge for these properties will be 150% over the standard charge from April, and 200% over the standard charge from April 2025. According to StatsWales, there are currently 1,051 chargeable empty properties and 422 chargeable second homes in Denbighshire.
Flintshire: up to 100% premium
In December 2022, Flintshire Council confirmed that second home owners in the county would pay double the amount of council tax (100%), and owners of properties left empty for a long period without a good reason would also pay an extra 75% in tax from April 2023. According to StatsWales, there are a total of 276 chargeable second homes and 967 chargeable empty properties in Flintshire.
Gwynedd: up to 150% premium
Also in December 2022, councillors of Cyngor Gwynedd voted to increase premiums for second homes to 150% from April 2023 - it had previously been 100%. Empty homes premiums would rise to 100% from April of the same year.
According to a recent Welsh Government report on council tax, Gwynedd remains as the county with the highest numbers of second homes in Wales, despite seeing a decrease. In 2023-24, the council tax report found that the north Wales county had 4,758 second home properties, but in 2024-25 it is projected to be down to 4,435 properties, bringing a fall of 6.7% in the current financial year.
Isle of Anglesey: up to 200% premium
In March 2023, it was announced at a full council meeting that the level of council tax premium for second homes on the Isle of Anglesey would increase from 35% to 75% and the level of council tax premium for empty homes would remain at 100%.
Currently, the council charges a premium of 100% in addition to the full council tax charge, which is 200% with regard to long term empty property, and 75% in addition to the full council tax charge, which is 175% to a second home properties. According to Stats Wales, there are a total of 1,954 chargeable second homes and 346 chargeable empty properties on the island.
Merthyr Tydfil: up to 100% premium
After a consultation, a full meeting of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council in March 2023 agreed to charge a 100% council tax premium on long-term empty properties that had been empty for more than 12 months, which came into effect from April 1, 2023. They also approved introducing a 100% premium on second homes which a report called "periodically occupied properties" from April 1, 2024. There are a total of 263 chargeable second homes and 510 chargeable empty properties in Merthyr Tydfil, according to StatsWales.
Monmouthshire: up to 300% premium
In March 2023, Monmouthshire County Council approved a council tax premium for long term empty properties on a sliding scale from 100% to 300% effective from April 1, 2024 with a 100% premium applying to properties empty for one year, a 200% premium to properties empty for two years and a 300% premium to properties empty for three years or more.
A council tax premium for second homes of 100% from April 1, 2024 was also discussed but it was decided that further consideration to the impact on the local community was needed before the council used that power. In January of this year however, the council agreed that second home owners would not be charged a council tax premium for one year if they had previously been paying business rates.
The council now requires self catering holiday homes to meet a threshold of having been booked for at least 182 days in the previous 12 months to qualify to pay for business rates rather than council tax. According to StatsWales, there are a total of 153 chargeable empty properties and 54 chargeable second homes in the county.
Neath Port Talbot: up to 100% premium
Second homes in Neath Port Talbot Council are charged council tax at 100%. According to StatsWales, there are 1,146 chargeable empty properties and 555 second homes in the county.
Newport: up to 100% premium
In January of this year, Newport City Council decided to double council tax on second homes despite only having 15 properties classed as second homes. The city council has voted to introduce the 100% council tax premiums on second homes from April 2025. They have also increased the same premium policy on long-term empty properties that have stood empty for a year or longer. This policy will come into effect in April of this year. You can read more about this here.
Pembrokeshire: up to 200% premium
At a council meeting before Christmas, Pembrokeshire councillors decided that the premium of 200% council tax, in addition to the standard 100% council tax charge, was to be introduced on second homes from April 1, 2024. Pembrokeshire has the second highest number of second homes in Wales. According to StatsWales, there are a total of 3,869 chargeable second homes and 1,498 chargeable empty properties in Pembrokeshire.
Powys: up to 75% premium
Powys councillors unanimously passed a measure in February that would introduce a council tax premium of 75% on second and holiday homeowners in the county. The measure was introduced in April 2023. There are currently a total of 1,421 chargeable second homes and 940 chargeable empty properties in Powys, according to StatsWales.
Rhondda Cynon Taf: up to 100% premium
With effect from April 1, 2023, Rhondda Cynon Taf councillors decided that long term empty properties owners would be subject to a 50% council tax premium if their property had been empty for between one and two years and a 100% premium if it has been empty longer than two years.
From April 1, 2024 all second homes will be subject to a 100% council tax premium. In October of last year, it was decided that council tax premiums for long term empty properties and second homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf would continue. You can read more about this here. As it stands, there are a total of 2,097 chargeable empty properties and 564 chargeable second homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf, according to StatsWales.
Swansea: up to 100% premium
Long-term empty properties and second homes in Swansea are subject to a 100% council tax premium. There are some exemptions including dwellings being marketed for sale or let, occupied caravan pitches and boat moorings and seasonal homes where year-round occupation is prohibited. Figures from StatsWales show that there are currently a total of 1,560 chargeable second homes and 1,993 chargeable empty properties in Swansea.
Vale of Glamorgan: up to 200% premium
In March of last year, the Vale of Glamorgan Council voted to approve a 100% council tax premium for long-term empty properties to be levied in the financial year of 2023-24. It was decided that this would increase to a 150% premium in 2024/25 and a 200% premium in 2025/26.
Councillors also voted to approve a 100% council tax premium for second homes which would be levied in 2024/25. In December, Vale of Glamorgan Council reaffirmed its commitment to levy council tax premiums on empty and second homes. There are 655 chargeable empty properties and 502 chargeable second homes in this county, according to StatsWales.
Wrexham: up to 50% premium
Wrexham Council charges an additional 50% premium on long-term empty properties and properties classed as second homes, to bring empty homes back into use and increase the supply of affordable housing. In Wrexham, there are no second homes but there are 280 chargeable empty properties according to StatsWales.
