Owners of second homes in the Warwick District will be required to pay double the standard council tax rate starting from 1 April 2027. Warwick District Council confirmed the decision following a vote at its full council meeting on 25 March 2026.
The new policy defines a second home as a property that is substantially furnished but does not have a resident occupier and is not used as the owner’s main residence. Officials expect the measure to impact approximately 400 properties across the region, generating an estimated £700,000 in additional annual revenue for the local authority.
This approval follows a public consultation conducted between December 2025 and January 2026, which saw 502 responses with 65.5 per cent of participants in favour of the increase. The council is implementing this change under powers granted by the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.
The path to this decision included a previous attempt by the council to introduce the premium from April 2025. That initial effort was deemed unlawful by the council’s monitoring officer because the full council had not formally voted on the specific percentage of the charge. The local authority has since taken steps to remedy the situation, including the process of refunding those earlier charges.
Neighbouring Stratford District Council has also approved a matching 100 per cent premium to begin on the same date, citing 859 second homes within their own district.
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