Empty Homes in East Yorkshire are to be charged a council tax premium once they have been empty for a year.
East Riding Council is taking advantage of changes in the law to implement the charges after 12 months rather than the previous 24 months.
A second home premium is also set to be introduced, as Julian Neilson - Director of Finance at the Council explains
There are currently 371 properties eligible for the new charges for homes empty and unfurnished for a year or more.
Councils were previously able to charge a 100 per cent premium after they had been empty for two years, rising to 300 per cent by the 10-year mark.
Changes meaning councils can charge the premium after one year would net the council an extra £500,000 a year.
They would come into effect from April 2024 if all councillors approve them.
Empty but furnished properties, otherwise known as second homes, would be subject to a 100 per cent premium council tax charge from the date they become unoccupied.
It is estimated that the charges would bring in around £2.7m a year from 1,871 eligible properties when they are introduced in April 2025.
Julian Neilson says the policy will bring in more money as well as trying to get more homes back in use.
The proposals come as part of the report on the East Riding council tax base for the coming 2024-5 financial year.
A council report stated the number of Band D properties eligible to be taxed in the coming financial year was around 123,619, up 1.7 per cent from last year.
Councillors backed continuing with means-tested council tax discounts up to 75 per cent for eligible working age households and up to 100 per cent for eligible pension age ones.
They also heard a panel of councillors was currently reviewing the support schemes, which were first created in 2013, with the findings set to be released next spring.
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