Definition of Main or Sole Residence for Council Tax charge while living abroad

[somersetman]

i own a fully furnished property in Cornwall which is my family home and has been for 7 years , i have paid full council tax for all that period .i now live and work in New Zealand travelling home occasionally for holidays and intend to eventually return home at some point in the future to live in my home .i have just received a letter from the council saying that as the house is classed as a second home and it will now attract 100% uplift in the council tax due for year 2024-25
i don't wish to rent or let the property but keep it unoccupied as is.
I'm happy to pay full council tax on the property but it does seem unfair that i will have to pay 100% premium , has anyone else experienced a similar problem

[PallasAthena]

I think islandgirl had a similar issue, what counts as second home for CT. It was a few months ago and I can't find the thread but tagging her, she may be able to comment. (Apologies IG if I've misremembered and it wasn't you).


EDIT: Sorry, I've confused myself. I hadn't noticed Somersetman that instead of starting your own thread you have tagged your question onto someone else's thread about second home CT. Your post is at the start of apge 2 and I missed that there's a page 1. So have a look there for comments made. Particularly the document attached to Post #3 and note the difference between an 'Empty Homes' premium and a 'Second Homes' premium.

How do the council know you aren't occupying it?

Councils have discretion on how they define Second Homes and this is Corwall's. They say the Second Homes Premium will only start from 1 April 2025 which is the earliest date permitted in England under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act. So I don't understand how they can be charging you this for 2024-25. https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-tax/second-homes/

[islandgirl]

You are correct Pallasathena thank you for the tag. Yes I have exactly the same issue but in a different part of the country. I have looked at how it could be avoided but have so far drawn a blank. It is already live where I am. Second home and unoccupied both attract a 100% uplift - unoccupied rises further with each unoccupied year...