Unoccupied properties used by a charity

A property that is unoccupied and is owned or leased by a registered charity is exempt from council tax. This means you don't have to pay council tax for the property.

The property does not need to be unfurnished. It must have been last occupied by the charity. It must have been used for delivering the charity's objectives.

The exemption will be granted for up to six months from the date it became unoccupied.

You need to have a MyGuildford account to apply for this exemption online. If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up.

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

If you have not yet registered to access your council tax account online, there are more steps. You can then link your online council tax account to your MyGuildford.

To complete this step you will need the following information:

• the council tax reference number - found on the latest bill
• the name of the occupier as it appears on the latest bill
• the property postcode
• if you have applied for Local Council Tax Support or have been named on a council tax support application, you will also need to provide your national insurance number. This provides an additional level of security

Once you have linked your council tax account, you can go to the 'account summary' screen. You will see a list of 'quick links' on the right-hand side. You need to select the 'apply for or cancel an exemption' link.

You need to supply the following information:

•  the date the property became unoccupied
•  a document that shows that the property is owned by the charity. The document should show the charity number. You will need to upload this.

You can tell us about any changes online if you have a MyGuildford account. If you do not have a MyGuildford account you can set one up.

Register or sign into your MyGuildford account (opens new window)

If you have not yet registered to access your council tax account online, there are more steps. You can then link your online council tax account to your MyGuildford.

To complete this step you will need the following information:

• the council tax reference number - found on the latest bill
• the name of the occupier as it appears on the latest bill
• the property postcode
• if you have applied for Local Council Tax Support or have been named on a council tax support application, you will also need to provide your national insurance number. This provides an additional level of security

Once you have linked your council tax account, you can go to the 'account summary' screen. You will see a list of 'quick links' on the right-hand side. You can use the 'apply for or cancel an exemption' form to tell us about the change. ​

If there is a change to your exemption, we will send you a new bill in the post. 

If someone moves into the property, you will no longer qualify for the exemption.