- and Borough Council Customer Services, Council Tax Customer Service Centre : 40 Bell Street Wigston, , LE18 1AD Write to us at: Council Offices, Station Road, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 2DR Telephone: (0116) 288 8961 Email: [email protected] Website: www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk Fax: (0116) 288 7828

Date of Issue:

Please Return By:

Reference No:

COUNCIL TAX APPLICATION FOR DISCOUNT Empty Properties requiring or Undergoing Major Repair Work to Make Habitable or Empty Properties Undergoing Structural Work PLEASE READ NOTES OVERLEAF BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM.

Part 1 – Key information

Property address :

Post Code:

Date Work Started :

Date Work is Expected to finish :

Part 2 – Details of Work being done Please include as much information as possible.

Part 3 – Home Address and Contact phone number

Your Home address :

Contact phone number:

Part 4 – Declaration Please read this declaration carefully before you sign and date it.

• I declare that the information I have given on this statement is correct and complete. I understand that if I give information or evidence that is false, misleading or incomplete that I will be required to repay any Council Tax due and that you may take action against me, this may include the issue of a penalty notice or court action. I agree that you can use this information to work out any Council Tax liability and that you may share this information with other Government bodies where the law allows it.

Your name: Signature: Date:

What happens next? Our Enquiry officer will contact you to make an appointment to view the property while works are being carried out

Empty Properties requiring or Undergoing Major Repair Work to Make Habitable or Empty Properties Undergoing Structural Work:

From 1 April 2013 properties undergoing major works or structural changes will no longer be exempt from Council Tax. Instead a discount of 50% can be claimed. The discount will last up to 12 months or for 6 months after works are substantially completed, whichever comes earlier. This limit includes any period of prior exemption awarded before 1 April 2013. If this discount is granted a full Council Tax charge will apply at the end of the discount period. If the property has been empty more than two years a 150% Council Tax will be payable. You must notify the Council Tax office as soon as the works are completed or if the property becomes occupied or furnished.

Empty Property: Is an unoccupied and substantially unfurnished property.

Major Repair work : This is not defined in law. However we consider major works to be substantial repairs to the main structure of the property such as replacing a roof, but not replacing some tiles.

Redecoration, refurbishment and the replacement of kitchens and bathrooms, will not be sufficient to qualify for the discount as these are improvements rather than repairs.

Other work such as plastering, rewiring, plumbing, installing double glazing, central heating and the replacement of floors and ceilings would not be enough to qualify for the discount individually. However if a number of these repairs were being done, we would look at the nature, extent and cost of the work as a whole when considering the discount.

The property must be in need of major repair work to make it fit to live in; therefore it must be uninhabitable before the work starts.

Uninhabitable : The property must be unoccupied (nobody living there), substantially unfurnished, needing or be undergoing major repairs or structural alterations in order to make it suitable for people to live in.

A property refurbishment that does not involve major repairs or structural alterations will not qualify for this discount.

Structural Work/Alteration : A change to the fabric of the property such as an extension, removal of supporting or load bearing walls, fitting lintels or steel supports.

To Claim the discount : you will need to complete the discount form before works are completed. We will then arrange for our inspector to visit the property.

If works are completed before our inspector is given the opportunity to visit the property the following will need to be provided to enable us to consider a backdated application: schedule of the works carried out, invoices for the work, photographs and surveyor’s report. If no supporting evidence is provided, it is unlikely we will agree to a backdated claim.