Premium charges
If you own a property that is empty and substantially unfurnished, you may have to pay a Council Tax premium.
A premium charge is an additional amount added to your Council Tax bill when a property is left unused for a long period.
Empty properties
Under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, councils are allowed to charge a premium on empty and unfurnished properties after they have been empty for one year.
In Birmingham, a 100% premium applies if your property has been empty and substantially unfurnished for one year or more.
This charge has been in effect since 1 April 2024.
The longer a property is empty, the higher the premium charge.
The premium increases to:
- 100% after one year
- 200% after 5 years
- 300% after 10 years
The premium charge is linked to the property, not the owner. This means it stays with the property even if it is sold or rented to someone new.
If you buy or lease a property that has already been empty and unfurnished for one year or more, you will still have to pay the premium charge.
To remove the premium charge, you must bring the property back into use.
Second homes
From 1 April 2025, a 100% premium charge applies to second homes in Birmingham. You can read more about this in the information about Council Tax on second homes.
Page last updated: 1 May 2026
