Landlords could lose tax discount on empty homes in Cornwall

Scrapping the discount would mean all property owners would have to pay full council tax once they were empty

Landlords could lose a council tax discount on empty properties in Cornwall under new plans.

Cornwall Council currently offers a 100% discount for one month from the date properties become empty.

However, the council said scrapping the discount could help generate an extra £1.3m to £1.6m a year.

The discount was introduced after the government scrapped a statutory requirement for councils to provide six months discount in 2012.

Ending the discount would mean all property owners would have to pay full council tax once they were empty, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reported.

Mark Read, service director for customer and business operations at the authority, told county councillors that about 16,000 to 22,000 discounts a year had been given over the last three years.

He said about 800 of which were for social housing providers, including the council-owned Cornwall Housing.

Mr Read added that removing the discount would also make it easier for the council in terms of administration for council tax.

The Customer and Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee voted unanimously to recommend to the Cabinet that the discount should be removed so that all property owners would have to pay full council tax once they were empty.