Empty Homes Premium - draft exception policy consultation response published

We've put our draft consultation response on the exceptions to the Empty Homes Premium on the website here for download. For your convenience, the text will be added into the forum discussion already underway. The most controversial part of the draft is probably the treatment of annexes that is "deemed unoccupied because it is being treated by the occupier of the main dwelling, as part of that dwelling". The initial draft of our consultation response is not very sympathetic to this case, pointing out the contrast between the government's proposed exception in this case and the "bedroom tax" being applied to social housing tenants to discourage under-occupation. Of course, this is open to debate by all members of EHN. Separately, the previous draft consultation on the Empty Homes Premium has been updated to correct a typo in the title.