Council Tax Premium in Swansea: Second Homes and Empty Properties
Written by Scott Jones, founder of PropertyKiln · Last updated
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Swansea is currently simpler than most: as at April 2026 you are on double council tax (100% premium) for both second homes and long-term empties, even though Wales lets the council go up to a 300% premium.
Second homes - rate, Welsh powers, definition
Welsh powers: councils can charge a premium of up to 300% on second homes (so up to 400% total).
Swansea's current position:
- From 1 April 2021: 100% premium on second homes, so you pay 200% of the standard bill.
- The main council tax and premium pages, updated and linked from the 2025-26 council tax hub, still say: "Long-term empty properties and second homes in Swansea are subject to a 100% Council Tax premium."
Definition they use:
- Second homes are "furnished properties that are no-one's sole or main residence (often known as second homes)".
If your property is furnished and not genuinely someone's main home, Swansea will treat it as a second home and charge double council tax.
Long-term empty homes - rate and rules
From the premium and "owners of empty properties" pages:
- Long-term empty property premium applies where a dwelling has been unoccupied and unfurnished for more than 12 months, unless it falls into one of the exception classes 1-4.
- Rate: 100% premium, so you pay 200% total council tax (normal 100% + 100% premium).
The estate-agent explainer written off council information matches this: once a property has been empty over 12 months, "the homeowner will be subjected to a 200% charge on their council tax bill", and this follows the property, not the owner.
As at April 2026:
| Duration empty and unfurnished | Premium | Total council tax |
|---|---|---|
| Under 12 months | No premium | 100% (standard) |
| 12+ months | +100% premium | 200% total |
Swansea has not yet used the newer Welsh power to push empties above a 100% premium.
Welsh-specific exceptions (classes 1-4)
Swansea lists the standard Welsh exception classes on its premium page:
If a dwelling is long-term empty but fits one of these, you still pay standard 100% council tax, but no premium:
- Class 1 - for sale: actively marketed for sale; exception is time-limited to one year.
- Class 2 - for let: actively marketed for let on a tenancy of at least 6 months (not holiday lets / Airbnb); also time-limited to one year.
- Class 3 - annexes: annexes forming part of, or treated as part of, the main dwelling.
- Class 4 - armed forces: dwellings which would be someone's sole or main residence if they were not residing in armed forces accommodation.
The same four classes are used across Wales for both long-term empties and second homes; Swansea is following that template.
How many properties and how much revenue
Swansea publishes the counts and income on a dedicated page.
Latest figures:
- Long-term empty properties: 1,763.
- Furnished properties that are no-one's sole or main residence (second homes): 2,439.
A Nation.Cymru piece gives earlier numbers when the premium first came in: council officers had identified 1,808 second homes for the 100% premium in year one, charging double council tax from April 2021.
On income:
- The premiums-income page says the additional revenue is not ring-fenced, but Welsh Government encourages councils to use it for housing; Swansea says it is used to support "home improvement and house-building plans".
- When the premium was introduced, BBC reporting said the new charges were expected to raise about GBP 2.8 million a year, aimed at reducing the council-house waiting list.
Swansea is currently charging double council tax on around 2,400 second homes and 1,700 long-term empties, raising a few million pounds a year which it uses to support its housing programme.
Appeals and contact details
Challenging a premium
The pattern is the same as elsewhere in Wales:
- Contact Swansea Council's council tax team if you think your property has been wrongly classified as a second home or long-term empty, or you qualify for an exception under classes 1-4.
- Provide evidence: for sale/let (marketing details, agent contract, realistic asking price, tenancy terms), for occupation (tenancy agreements, utility bills, GP registration, electoral roll).
- If you still disagree after their decision, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for Wales.
How to contact Swansea
The main Council Tax page links directly to the "Council Tax premiums for empty properties and second homes" page and provides online forms for council tax queries. Swansea routes premium queries via its standard council tax channels rather than a separate phone number; bills carry the phone and email that owners should use.
Use the online council tax forms or the contact details on your Swansea bill. If you think your home is mis-classified or you qualify for an exception, put it in writing and include evidence. If they will not budge, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for Wales.
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