Empty house costs calculator
What does an empty house cost me?
Enter what you pay to see the monthly cost.
Councils can add a premium once a home has been empty for a year, up to 4 times the normal bill after 10 years. Each council sets its own rules, and they differ in Scotland. Nothing you type is sent or saved.
An empty house keeps costing money until it's sold: the mortgage, council tax, utilities, insurance and upkeep. Enter what you pay and how many months you expect a sale to take, and the calculator adds it all up. It divides the yearly bills (council tax and insurance) by 12, adds any empty homes premium you choose to the council tax, and multiplies the monthly cost by the number of months. Nothing you type is sent or saved.
What an empty house costs each month
| Cost | What to enter | How to cut it |
|---|---|---|
| Mortgage | Your monthly payment, or 0 | Talk to your lender early if payments are a struggle |
| Council tax | The yearly bill | Ask the council about exemptions |
| Empty homes premium | None, +100%, +200% or +300% | Ask about exceptions while the home is for sale |
| Gas, electric and water | Your monthly bills | Use only what your insurer's conditions need |
| Insurance | The yearly cost of cover for an empty home | Compare policies that cover unoccupied homes |
| Upkeep | Gardening, gutters, small repairs | Regular visits catch problems early |
Council tax on an empty house
In England, if the owner has died and the home is left empty, there's no council tax to pay until probate is granted, and for up to 6 months after that while it stays empty and in the deceased person's name. Homes left empty because the owner has moved into a care home or hospital, and repossessed homes, may not get a bill either. Otherwise, expect to keep paying, and check with your council, because councils set their own rules.
The empty homes premium
Once a home has been empty for a year, councils in England can add a premium, up to 4 times the normal bill once it's been empty for 10 years. GOV.UK says the premium may not apply for up to 12 months if probate was recently granted, the home is being marketed for sale or rent, or it's having major repairs.
In Wales, councils can charge a premium of up to 300% on a home that has been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for at least a year. Welsh Government guidance gives an exception of up to a year for homes being marketed for sale at a reasonable price, or where an offer has been accepted but the sale hasn't completed. The rules are different in Scotland.
In the calculator, "+300%" means 4 times the normal bill.
Insurance
Tell your insurer as soon as the home becomes empty. The Financial Ombudsman Service says home insurance usually limits cover once a home has been unoccupied for 30 or 60 days, and that cover for theft, malicious damage and escape of water may then stop. If your policy won't cover an empty home, you'll need one that does, so read its conditions about visits, heating and water.
Utilities and upkeep
Gas, electric and water bills don't stop when the house is empty, so enter what you actually pay. Keep the heating low or drain the water system in winter, whichever your insurer asks for, and visit regularly to check for leaks, damp and post. A tidy garden also makes the house look cared for to buyers and neighbours.
An example
An inherited house with no mortgage, once any probate exemption has ended. Council tax is £1,800 a year, gas, electric and water cost £60 a month, insurance for an empty home is £480 a year and upkeep is £50 a month:
| Per month | |
|---|---|
| Mortgage | £0 |
| Council tax (£1,800 ÷ 12) | £150 |
| Gas, electric and water | £60 |
| Insurance (£480 ÷ 12) | £40 |
| Upkeep | £50 |
| Total | £300 |
Over 6 months, that's £1,800.
If the house has been empty for more than a year and the council charges a 100% premium, the council tax doubles to £300 a month. The total rises to £450 a month, and 6 months cost £2,700. If there were also a £650 monthly mortgage (and no premium), it would be £950 a month, or £5,700 over 6 months.
How to cut the cost of an empty house
- Tell the council the date the home became empty, and ask about exemptions (probate, care home, hospital) and premium exceptions.
- Tell your insurer, and make sure your cover works for an empty home.
- Take meter readings and check you're on a suitable tariff.
- Turn off the water at the stopcock or keep the heating on low, depending on your insurer's conditions.
- Redirect the post and cancel services nobody is using.
- Visit regularly, and keep a note of each visit in case your insurer asks.
- Price the house realistically, because every month it stays unsold adds the monthly figure again.
Is it cheaper to keep it or sell it quickly?
The monthly figure multiplied by the months a sale is likely to take is your cost of waiting. It's one reason owners of empty homes look at quicker routes. A cash buyer can complete in weeks rather than months, but cash buyers, including us, pay below market value. For many homes in good condition, the higher price from an estate agent sale more than covers several months of running costs.
Put your monthly figure into the cash offer vs estate agent calculator to compare the two with your own numbers. If the house is part of an estate, see selling an inherited house and council tax on empty homes.
Questions people ask
Do I pay council tax on an empty house?
Usually, yes. In England, some empty homes don't get a bill, including a home left empty after the owner died (until probate is granted, then for up to 6 months while it's still in their name) and a home left empty because the owner moved into a care home or hospital. Once a home has been empty for a year, the council can add a premium. Councils set their own rules, so ask yours what applies.
What is the empty homes premium?
It's an extra charge on top of the normal council tax for a home that has been empty for a long time. In England, it can start once a home has been empty for a year and can reach 4 times the normal bill after 10 years. In Wales, councils can charge up to 300% extra. In both, there are exceptions for up to a year while a home is being marketed for sale.
Does home insurance cover an empty house?
Often not for long. The Financial Ombudsman Service says policies usually limit cover once a home has been unoccupied for 30 or 60 days, after which theft, malicious damage and escape of water may not be covered. Tell your insurer as soon as the home is empty, read any conditions about heating, water and visits, and move to a policy that covers an unoccupied home if you need to.
How can I reduce the cost of an empty house?
Claim any council tax exemption or premium exception you're entitled to, make sure the insurance really does cover an empty home, and cut the utilities to what the insurer requires. Keep up small, regular upkeep. The biggest saving is usually time: every month the house sits unsold adds the full monthly cost again, so a realistic asking price often matters more than any single bill.
Sources
Related guides
The costs of an empty house
An empty house still costs money every month: council tax (with a possible premium once it's been empty for a year), insurance that may need to switch to unoccupied cover after 30 or 60 days, energy standing charges, water, any mortgage, and upkeep and security. Adding these up helps you decide whether to sell, let or keep the house, and how quickly.
Costs and moneyCouncil tax on empty homes
You usually pay council tax on an empty home. Once it's been empty and unfurnished for a year, the council can add a premium: in England up to double the bill, rising to four times after 10 years, and in Wales up to 300% extra. Some empty homes are exempt, including a home left empty after a death (until probate and for a while after), a home whose owner has moved into care, and a repossessed home.
Your situationSelling an inherited house: a step-by-step guide
To sell an inherited house in England or Wales, the executor (or administrator if there's no will) needs a grant of probate before the sale can go through, and GOV.UK advises not putting the house on the market until then. Inheritance Tax is due by the end of the sixth month after the death, and Capital Gains Tax may be due on any rise in value since the death.
General information for England and Wales, not legal, tax or financial advice. Last checked 26 October 2026.