Rother District Council considers doubling council tax on second homes

If approved the increase in council tax on second homes will come into effect in 2025-26

Council tax bills for second home owners in an East Sussex borough could double, if proposals get the go ahead from councillors.

On Monday, Rother District Council's cabinet will consider budget proposals ahead of the new financial year.

There will be a full council decision later in February.

Among the proposals, including a council tax increase of 2.99%, are plans to introduce a 100% council tax premium for second homes from 2025-26.

Alongside this, the council is also considering reducing the time period before an existing 100% premium applies to empty homes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Currently, a property owner can leave a home unoccupied and unfurnished for up to two years before the premium comes into effect but the council wants to halve this.

A council spokesman said: "The council's financial outlook has significantly deteriorated over the last two years due to economic uncertainty, the cost of living crisis, increasing demand led pressures from areas such as temporary accommodation and increasing inflation."