Advice Please!

[porshiepoo]

Does anyone know the up to date rules and regulations with regards to paying council tax on a derelict property that is being renovated?
We're being charged full rates on the temporary accomodation and full rates less 10% discount on the derelict.
I've been told by a few people now that the derelict should only be 50% but I'd like to get the facts before I go back to the council.
At the moment the council claim that because the derelict has been banded in the past we can't get away with paying rates unless it's completely demolished. We want to rebuild the derelict though as we feel it has some significance to the area and feel it would be a shame to completely flatten it.
So any ideas welcome.

Also, does anyone know the rules and regs with regards to the temporary accomodation? If we name it and have all our utility bills paid to it do we have the right to replace it with a permanent dwelling as we would in England?

[footie chick]

look on council web site {highland.gov.uk/} top r/h corner it has a drop down menu not sure if any good but you never know:D

[squeezy]

I've had a wee google and I think each council can decide what discount they apply to unoccupied dwellings. Some in your situation would be able to get 100% discount, but looks like Highland Council offer only 10%, unless it's just after you've bought the property, in which case it would be 50% (if other criteria are also met).

Here's a link: http://www.highland.gov.uk/fin/revenues/ctaxforms/simple-guide-to-counciltax.pdf

A google on council tax unoccupied premises will give you some links to what happens in other councils.

[golach]

I remember reading some where that to ensure that a property was classified as uninhabitable, the toilet facilities have to be unusable, i.e. no water, no toilet paper to be on view. Then I was led to believe the premises could be classed as uninhabitable and therefore no tax or rates were needed to be payed. only when the Toilet facilities were back in full use, could the council claim council tax. I may be talking through the top of my head, its distant memory I dragged up from some obscure encounter I had many years ago

[badger]

I've just dug out that nice little booklet that came with the new council tax notification - see p.16 if you've still got yours but if not it says the following discounts apply
50% Purpose-built holiday homes
50% Job-related dwellings
50% Dwellings under repair
50% Empty dwellings

The 10% discount applies to:
second family home
occupied only for short term lets
long-term empty

Think you have been misled by the Council since the definition of Dwellings under repair is:
A dwelling which -(a) is undergoing or requires major repair work to render it habitable; or (b) is undergoing structural alteration.

Hope this helps.