Occupied Property Exemptions

There are different criteria for unoccupied properties and occupied properties.

You can apply for an exemption if the property is occupied and one of these criteria apply:

Property is a student hall of residence

The property must be predominantly for students, and either:

owned or managed by a recognised educational establishment
owned or managed by a charitable body
the majority of the residents are students

When you apply, please provide a letter from the college/university confirming their ownership or management.

Property is occupied by students, their dependents, school/ college leavers, or foreign language assistants ONLY

Please see the qualifying conditions here.

Armed forces accommodation (UK)

The property must be owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and provided as living accommodation for UK armed forces.

Visiting forces accommodation

A person is resident who would otherwise be liable and has a ‘relevant association’ with a visiting force from a country to which the Visiting Forces Act 1952 applies.

When you apply, please provide a certificate issued under Section 11 of the Visiting Forces Act 1952.

Property is occupied by people under 18 ONLY

Liability for Council Tax starts at age 18. The property must be occupied by persons under the age of 18 only.

Property is occupied by severely mentally impaired people ONLY

Please see the qualifying conditions here.

Please note, the property is not exempt if you are liable as the landlord of a house in multiple occupation as you are responsible for Council Tax, not your tenants.

Property is an annexe

The annexe forms part of a single property which includes at least one other dwelling that may not be let separately without a breach of planning control. It is the sole or main residence of a dependent relative of a person who is resident in that other dwelling.

A dependent relative is either a person aged 65 or more, a person who is severely mentally impaired, or a person who is substantially and permanently disabled.

Occupied by person of diplomatic privilege or immunity

The property is the main residence in the UK of a liable person who has diplomatic, commonwealth or consular privileges and immunities.

This person must not be a:

British subject
British citizen
British Dependent territories citizen
British national overseas
British Overseas Citizen
British protected person
permanent resident of the United Kingdom

The person must not have another residence in the UK.

When you apply, please provide written confirmation of diplomatic status from the embassy. It must state what class of diplomat the person is.