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1. Do you agree that local authorities should be given discretion to reduce or end the council
tax discounts for second homes?

Yes, the Empty Homes Agency agrees that this discretion should be given to local authorities.

2. Do you agree that this discretion should also extend to long-term empty homes?
The Empty Homes Agency
The Empty Homes Agency totally agrees with this suggestion, and indeed it has been a long-term
Formal Response to the DTLR Consultation Paper
campaigning priority of the Agency to achieve this policy change. The Agency believes that the
Council
current discount for empty properties Tax:
acts as an incentive for owners to keep properties empty. This
discretion would be a welcome move to help encourage the re-use of empty properties.

3. Should local authorities also have powers to create their own council tax exemptions and
discounts, including powers to grant relief on a case-by-case basis?

The Agency feels much less strongly about this issue but agrees in principle that local authorities
should be able to have this degree of flexibility.

4. A Consultation
Should local authorities bePaper on proposed
able to retain the additional changes
council tax raised, or should the
formoney
additional second homes
be spread acrossand long-term
all local authorities inempty
England?homes
February
The Agency believes that the additional money2002
should be spread across all local authorities in En g-
land specifically to address the issue of affordable housing.

5. If you believe there should be local retention, should the proceeds be retained for just sec-
ond homes or for long-term empty homes as well?

The Agency believes that money raised from both sources should be used to address national need
for affordable housing.

6. If so, which of Options (b) to (d) of Paragraph 31 would be the most appropriate means of
local retention?

Having considered the four options available in the Consultation Paper, the Agency firmly believes
that Government should advance with Option (b), which would allow the additional revenue to be
spent on affordable housing through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Pro-
gramme (ADP).

7. Do you agree the distinction between unoccupied furnished and unoccupied unfurnished
properties is the simplest and fairest approach to defining second homes and long-term empty
homes? If not, please suggest an improvement.

The Agency agrees with the distinction laid out above.

Head Office
8. If the proceeds are retained locally, how can we continue to ensure that the additional Empty Homes Ag ency Office
Head
195-197 Victoria
Empty Street Agency
Homes
monies raised by removing or reducing the council tax discount is identified correctly in years to
195-197London
Victoria Street
come? SW1E 5NE London
T: 020 7828 6288SW1E 5NE
As identified above, the Agency believes that this money should be used nationally for affordable F: 020 7828 7006
T: 020 7828 6288
housing. This point is a fundamental part of the Agency's charitable mandate, which is to ensure F: 020 7828 7006
Northern Office:
that houses are made available to those in need. Empty Homes Agency Office:
Northern
PO Box
Empty 3609 Agency
Homes
9. Do you agree that local authorities should meet the costs of any additional exemption or Barnsley
PO Box 3609
discounts that they grant? S75 1WWBarnsley
T/F: 01226 390 093 S75 1WW
The Agency agrees with this suggestion. M: 07719
T/F:798 033390 093
01226
M: 07719 798 033