Do you have to pay council tax on an empty property during probate?

• You don’t have to pay council tax on an empty property until after probate has been granted if the property is unoccupied.
• Estates could get a further six months council tax exemption after probate if the property remains empty and isn’t sold.
• There are many financial demands executors have to navigate during probate and Provira’s Estate Advance can help release funds to cover any urgent expenses.

Usually, no. If a property has become empty because the owner has died, and it’s unoccupied, you don’t have to pay council tax until after probate has been granted. 

After the probate process is complete, if the property hasn’t been passed to a beneficiary or inhabited, it could still remain exempt from council tax for a further six months and it could qualify for a 12-month exemption that runs in parallel.

While executors don’t usually have to worry about the cost of council tax during the probate process, managing an empty property can be expensive. Importantly, the estate is responsible for all upkeep and maintenance of the property whilst probate is being completed.

And if the estate also needs to pay an Inheritance Tax bill, these costs can add up, and fast. 

For situations where the estate value is tied up in property, having no cash available to maintain the property or pay the IHT bill can be both emotionally and financially draining for an executor.

This is where Provira can help.

Our Estate Advance:

• Offers executors up to 50% of the net value of the estate within days
• Keeps costs low by only charging simple interest, not compound interest
• Doesn’t require monthly repayments. The loan is simply repaid in full once the estate has been settled
• Won’t charge early repayment fees if everything wraps up sooner than expected
• Is secured entirely against the estate, so there’s no personal liability

Plus, we have a compassionate supportive team on hand to guide you through it, with a team member dedicated to your case throughout. 

So you can get back to focusing on what matters.

To start your application, get in touch today.

What is the Class F council tax exemption?

The Class F council tax exemption is when a property doesn’t have to pay council tax as a result of the owner dying. 

The exemption comes into place on the date of death and is valid as long as the property is unoccupied while probate is still ongoing.

It could also extend beyond probate for a further six months if the property is still not occupied and hasn’t been passed to a beneficiary or sold. 

There is also another type of exemption available if the property remains unoccupied. This gives empty homes a 12-month exemption from the empty homes premium as long as the property is being actively marketed for sale. 

It’s also important to note that executors should let the council know the property qualifies for the exemption, as it’s not always applied automatically and they could face an unexpected bill.

This ensures that the estate will not have to pay council tax on an empty property during probate.

How long does probate take?

Probate can take between six and twelve months, from start to finish. Though for estates that are more complex, it can be longer. 

While you don’t have to pay council tax during probate, other costs can put the estate under financial strain, particularly when there are delays involved.

Delays often occur due to the many steps involved in granting probate. Key reasons why probate can be delayed include:

Whether there is a valid will

If there is no will, the estate will have to follow the Rules of Intestacy and the process can become a lot more complicated. This is due to lack of clarity around who should receive what from the estate and the risk of disputes arising. To avoid this, it’s important to prepare by carefully planning your estate.

Foreign assets

Perhaps unsurprisingly, if an estate contains foreign assets, this can slow down the probate process. If the foreign assets turn out to be property, this will slow things down even more as it will require more foreign support in sorting the assets out.

Disputes

Wills are able to be contested if a beneficiary considers it unfair or questions its validity. With these sorts of issues, there’s no quick fix and estates can see these disputes take years to resolve, with the legal and administrative costs gradually growing for the estate.

Missing paperwork or beneficiaries

If the executor struggles to locate paperwork or beneficiaries, this puts a pause on the probate process moving forward until they’re located.

What property costs do estates face during probate?

An estate can face a range of different property costs while probate is being processed. 

While an estate doesn’t have to pay council tax on an empty property during probate, there’s plenty of other costs that start to add up.

Let’s walk through what these could be.

• Mortgage payments
• Buildings insurance 
• Utility bills
• Maintenance bills
• Valuation fees

While council tax can be put on pause for empty properties during the probate process, all of these other costs add up, and fast. 

Especially when an estate includes an empty property, upkeep can be expensive, which can become an issue when the estate value is mostly tied up in property. 

This is where our Estate Advance provides executors with a lifeline. Designed to help pay off urgent estate expenses like property maintenance costs, our loan offers up to 50% of the net value of the estate within days. 

As we only charge simple interest, not compound interest, don’t charge early repayment fees, and don’t require monthly repayments, we help you keep your costs as low as they can be. 

Plus, with a member of our compassionate team on hand throughout the process, as well as handling all solicitor communication and HMRC payments directly, you’ll have all the guidance you need to navigate this period with ease.

Start your application today by filling out our form. It takes just a few minutes.

How can Provira help during probate?

Although you don’t have to pay council tax on an empty property until after probate has been granted, the other costs associated with managing an empty property can add up quicker than you think. 

At Provira, our loans provide families with simple financial solutions so that they can navigate their grief without the added financial pressure administering an estate can bring.

Our Estate Advance helps executors cover estate expenses whilst they wait for probate to complete.

With our loan, you:

• Get up to 50% of the net value of the estate within days
• Only pay simple interest, not compound interest, saving you money in the long run
• Don’t face any personal liability for the loan, it’s entirely secured against the estate
• Don’t have to pay anything monthly, the loan is paid off directly to us once the estate has been settled
• Won’t be charged any early repayment fees if you gain access to funds sooner than we predicted

Plus, a member of our team will be dedicated to your case throughout, so you have all the support and guidance you need. 

Ready to get started? Get in touch today.