Under new powers, the council can charge a 100% council tax premium on homes left empty and unfurnished for more than one year, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter
Homes left empty for more than a year in Barking and Dagenham could be charged double their council tax, council leaders have agreed.
Barking and Dagenham Council said the change is needed to encourage owners of empty homes to let or sell them. It comes as the number of empty homes in the borough has more than doubled over the last decade.
Senior Labour councillor Syed Ghani, responsible for community safety and enforcement, said: “Every empty property is a missed opportunity to provide a home for residents in need.”
Under new powers, the council can charge a 100% council tax premium on homes left empty and unfurnished for more than one year – down from two years previously.
The council can also charge an extra 200% on homes left empty for more than five years, and 300% for those empty for more than ten.
In addition, the council will also charge an extra 100% on those ‘second homes’ which are furnished but unoccupied.
The new policy – approved by council leaders yesterday (Tuesday 13th) – says the changes are needed because empty homes are “a significant challenge for Barking and Dagenham”.
It says: “They reduce available housing supply, contribute to neighbourhood blight, attract antisocial behaviour, and can pose risks to public health and safety.”
The number of empty homes in Barking and Dagenham rose from 202 in 2015 to 410 in 2025.
Meanwhile, as of 2025, more than 6,300 households were on the council’s social housing waiting list, and more than 1,000 were in temporary homelessness accommodation.
Cllr Ghani said: “Although empty properties represent a small proportion of the borough’s housing stock, the upward trend in long-term vacant homes highlights the importance of proactive intervention in bringing these properties back into use.”
Under the new policy, the council says it will first try to help owners of empty homes to let them to families in the borough.
If unsuccessful, however, the council will also be able to use enforcement measures, including the council tax premium.
It can also take action to force empty home owners to carry out repairs, clear overgrown gardens, and deal with pest infestations. In some cases the council can even force an owner to sell their empty home.
Reform UK councillor Ben Suter said it was “really important we get these empty houses back into use”.
However, he asked if the council’s approach had “fundamentally changed”.
Cllr Suter said: “Apart from the council tax premiums, there isn’t any new enforcement action. The same system of going and trying to be nice at first is the exact same it was.”
Cllr Ghani replied that the council now has a member of staff dedicated to tackling empty homes.
He added that the new ability to charge premiums on more homes means “we have more power” and “is actually very important”.
