Tax

The ins and outs of vacant homes tax

If you have a residential dwelling that is inhabited for less than 30 days a year, you may be liable for the tax, but there are some exemptions

While there are some ‘outs’ from the application of VHT, when you’re in, the tax liability follows. Picture: Getty

The vacant homes tax (VHT) is an annual tax that applies to residential properties in use as a dwelling for less than 30 days in a 12-month chargeable period. VHT was introduced by Finance Act 2022.

The explanatory memorandum explains that the “key objective in introducing this tax is to increase the supply of homes for rent or purchase by encouraging the owners of vacant residential properties to bring those properties back into use”.

“The ...