Council Tax Premium in Conwy: Second Homes and Empty Properties

Conwy is one of the most aggressive Welsh setups: second homes pay 250% council tax from 1 April 2025, and long-term empties pay 300-400% total, depending how long they have been empty.

Second homes - current premium and Welsh powers

Legal powers: in Wales, councils can add a premium of up to 300% on second homes, so up to 400% total council tax.

Conwy's key decisions:

As of the 2025/26 council tax leaflet and the October 2024 determination:

• Second-home premium: 150%.
• Total bill on a second home: 250% of the standard charge.

How Conwy defines a "second home"

Conwy follows the Welsh national definition:

• Second home = dwelling "occupied periodically" (section 12B), more commonly called a second or holiday home, which is substantially furnished but nobody's sole or main residence.

If your Conwy property is furnished and not genuinely someone's main home, it is treated as a second/holiday home and you are on 250% council tax from April 2025 unless an exception applies.

Long-term empty homes - current premiums and bands

Conwy uses the full stepped Welsh powers for empties.

From the council's official premium update and the 2025/26 leaflet:

The determination also sets an indicative path from 1 April 2026, subject to review:

• Indicative: 200% premium on both second homes and empties (so 300% total), with 300% premium for empties that have been empty 4 years or more.

October 2025 coverage and a WalesOnline piece on empty homes confirm that cabinet decisions for 2026/27 and 2027/28 are to:

• Maintain the 150% second-home premium.
• Retain 200% premium for long-term empties under 5 years.
• Retain 300% premium for empties 5+ years.

So for April 2026:

• Second homes: 150% premium, 250% total.
• Empty 1-5 years: 200% premium, 300% total.
• Empty 5+ years: 300% premium, 400% total.

Exceptions (Welsh statutory classes)

Conwy uses the standard Welsh exception classes for both premiums.

The council's official Council Tax Premium Update lists them explicitly:

• Class 1: Properties being marketed for sale, time-limited to 1 year.
• Class 2: Properties being marketed for let, time-limited to 1 year.
• Class 3: Annexes which are part of the main property.
• Class 4: Properties which would be someone's main residence if they were not living in armed forces accommodation.

If one of these applies, you pay standard 100% council tax, but no premium, for as long as the class conditions are met (up to the time limits for sale/let).

The council's press releases also stress that premium revenue is directed into the housing budget, in line with Welsh Government expectations, to support "access to affordable, appropriate, good quality accommodation".

Appeals and challenges

Conwy follows the normal Wales pattern:

1. If you think your property is wrongly classed as a second home or long-term empty, or you qualify for an exception, contact Conwy's council tax team and ask for a review, explaining your case.
2. Include evidence: sale or letting details, tenancy agreements, bills, electoral registration, armed-forces paperwork, etc.
3. If you still disagree after a decision, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for Wales.

Challenge it in writing with evidence. If they still say no, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for Wales.

Contacts

• Premium information and links are under "Council Tax Premium Update" and related pages in Conwy's Council Tax section.
• The council encourages owners of empty homes to contact emptyhomes@conwy.gov.uk or call 01492 574235 for help bringing properties back into use.

Email emptyhomes@conwy.gov.uk or use the council tax contact details on your bill if you think your property has been mis-classified or you qualify for an exception.

Numbers and revenue

From the October 2024 premium update:

• Long-term empty properties subject to a premium: 601 (711 in 2023/24, 679 in 2022/23).
• Second homes / furnished not main residence subject to a premium: 1,544 (1,641 in 2023/24, 1,528 in 2022/23).
• Income generated by premiums in the latest year: GBP 4,571,000.

Conwy states that "additional income received from the charging of Council Tax premiums is, in line with Welsh Government expectation, directed to the housing budget of the Council", primarily to support its housing priority.

Conwy is hitting around 1,500 second homes and 600 long-term empties with premiums of up to 300%, raising about GBP 4.6 million a year that is funnelled straight into the housing budget.

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