
Bradford Council is considering plans to increase Council Tax payments by four times for empty homes.
The council says that, as part of its Empty Homes Action Plan, it may increase the premium on long-term empty properties to 100% from April 2019, with increases in subsequent years of up to 300% for properties empty for at least 10 years.
The increases aim to incentivise owners of empty homes to bring the properties back into use.
Coun Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We want to see as many empty properties brought back into use across the district as possible. By increasing the amount of Council tax paid on empty properties we aim to incentivise owners to get them occupied."