A London local authority is introducing a council tax premium for people who own second homes in the borough.

Brent Council claims the charge is designed to encourage property owners to bring under-utilised homes back into full-time use. It will match the 100% premium charge introduced by the same Labour-controlled council in 2024 for homes that have been left empty for more than a year. This is the maximum increase permitted under existing legislation.

You will be required to pay the premium if your second home is a holiday home, or used for what the council calls “personal convenience”, or is a second home between tenancies. 

“Britain’s broken housing system means that we are struggling to keep pace with the numbers of homeless families approaching us for help. That’s despite Brent leading the way in building new homes, completing the most affordable homes of any London council over the past two years, and the second highest number of new-builds overall in the past decade” says a spokesperson.

“We know that demand still outstrips supply and additional measures are necessary to complement our building efforts. Second homes that are occasionally occupied can exacerbate housing shortages by effectively removing properties from the local housing market during periods of vacancy, making it more difficult for residents to find permanent accommodation.

“Discouraging the prolonged vacancy of second homes is essential to alleviating the housing crisis and freeing up more properties for local residents in need.”