Class I exemption - A property that is left unoccupied by persons who reside elsewhere and are receiving care.
Any dwelling:
Which is unoccupied and which was previously the sole or main residence of the owner or tenant and:
a) Has his / her sole or main residence in another place (not being a hospital, residential care home, nursing home, mental nursing home or hostel) for the purpose of receiving personal care required by him or her by reason of old age, disablement, illness, past or present alcohol or drug dependence or past or present mental disorder; and
b) Has been a relevant absentee for the whole of the period since the dwelling
last ceased to be his / her residence.
This does not include people who spend only short periods away to receive care.
The person must have continuously been receiving care since vacating the premises.
In the above instances Owner means the Freeholder or Leaseholder. In the case of a tenant, the tenancy must be for at least 6 months. The care required must be because of old age, disablement, illness, alcohol / drug dependence or mental disorder.
The exemption starts on the day that the premises becomes unoccupied due to the person(s) residing away. The exemption will last for as long as the conditions are met.
The Council will also need to know if anything happens which means that the property no longer meets the above criteria. Such changes may include:
- Someone else moving into the premises
- Returning to the premises from away property
- The premises being sold or let