Empty properties exempt from Council Tax
Case reference FOI2025/01852
Received 22 September 2025
Published 13 October 2025
Request
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I am seeking data relating to properties within your authority area that are currently exempt from Council Tax under the following classes:
Class E – Property left empty where the liable person is in hospital.
Class F – Property left empty following the death of the liable person.
Specifically, I request: Please provide the number of properties in each full postcode (not just the outward or first-half code) where either Class E or Class F exemptions are applied. If available without exceeding cost limits, a breakdown of the count per exemption class (E and F) within each full postcode. If this level of detail would exceed cost limits, I am willing to accept a single combined total count of properties (E + F) per full postcode.
Purpose and Public Interest This request is made in the public interest.
I am conducting research to: Understand housing availability and long-term vacancy patterns in the local area. Track the extent to which properties remain empty during the probate process, which can inform local and national housing policy. Empty homes are a matter of national concern, and greater transparency on exemption data will help inform evidence-based policy solutions. Crime Risk and Mitigation I am aware of refusals under Section 31(1)(a) (prevention of crime).
I respectfully submit that: My request does not seek full property addresses, only aggregated postcode-level counts, eliminating the risk of properties being individually identified. Classes E and F typically relate to properties under legal control (executors or solicitors), which are no more vulnerable than those already published through Land Registry data.
Aggregated data poses no realistic risk of unauthorised occupation or criminal activity. I am happy for the data to be provided in spreadsheet (Excel or CSV) format if possible.
Response
I am seeking data relating to properties within your authority area that are currently exempt from Council Tax under the following classes:
Class E – Property left empty where the liable person is in hospital.
Class F – Property left empty following the death of the liable person.
Specifically, I request: Please provide the number of properties in each full postcode (not just the outward or first-half code) where either Class E or Class F exemptions are applied.
If available without exceeding cost limits, a breakdown of the count per exemption class (E and F) within each full postcode. If this level of detail would exceed cost limits, I am willing to accept a single combined total count of properties (E + F) per full postcode.
We have noted the comments within your request relating to public interest, however we do consider the information requested above to be exempt under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which exempts information if disclosure would, or would be likely, to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.
This exemption is subject to the public interest test, and accordingly I have weighed up the reasons for and against disclosure as follows:
Reasons for disclosure in the public interest:
Openess and transparency regarding housing availability and long-term vacancy patterns in the county.
Reasons against disclosure in the public interest:
Herefordshire is a very rural county with a low population; the current (2021 census) estimate of the county's resident population is 187,100. Two-fifths of residents live in the most rural areas of the county. Herefordshire has the 4th lowest overall population density in England (the 9th lowest of all 'top tier' local authorities in England and Wales) at 86 people per square kilometre, and the population is scattered across the 842 square miles of the county. Housing is likewise scattered in some areas, and in some postcodes there are only a handful of homes. We consider that if the aggregated postcode level data were disclosed, it would, due to Herefordshires rural nature and the extremely low number of properties in some of those areas be possible for empty properties to be identified.
If these empty residential properties were identified as a result of the disclosure of this data, they could be a target for break in, burglary or trespass. There would then be an associated cost to the owner of that property incurred in having to repair any damage, legal costs for the removal of trespassers and costs in re-securing the property. If such costs were incurred this would have a detrimental impact on the homeowner or their estate. Futhermore, it would also have a negative impact upon the surrounding neighbourhood. Once an area is subject to crime, it has an impact on the area reducing the value of neighbouring properties and the quality of life of the residents.
In view of the real and substantial risk which the release of the information could cause, the rural nature of Herefordshire and the sparsity of homes in some of the relevant areas, in this instance the public interest in non-disclosure of the requested information outweighs that in disclosure. Please take this letter as a refusal notice under S17 of the Act.
We consider that the outward postcode could be provided, which is attached.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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