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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think an annual property tax is incredibly unfair?

966 replies

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 10:06

I come from an area with low house prices. It is great! My friends can generally afford houses even with lower salaries as the earnings:house prices ratio is better. Rents are also lower so they have proportionately more disposable income.

I have moved to a more expensive area where house prices are higher and people have really had to push themselves to buy a property. Salaries are higher but not high enough to make up the difference. They have had to pay more stamp duty , pay more interest and have less disposable income each month.

I am really struggling to understand why my friends in the South should also automatically be paying more property tax under the new proposals being suggested by Burnham supporters? What is the justification? They would love to buy a large detached house for £300k like my friends from home but this isn't possible. It feels like they are being double penalised.

Just to add house prices haven't risen in real terms in the area in live in now for 20 years so the value of my friend's houses is simply money they have paid in.

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chirrupybird · 01/07/2026 15:46

maltravers · 01/07/2026 13:42

If it’s in addition to council tax, he needs to think about voter retention, unless he thinks only renters vote for Labour.

if it’s instead of council tax I assume he’s working on the numbers - piss off 25%, please 75%. Hope the 25% aren’t mobile enough to move ex Uk, causing the property market to dive and harming the economy.

Renters rent will also have to go up if landlords have to pay more tax on their property, they are not running a charity.

maltravers · 01/07/2026 15:44

Do we think the local authorities will be paying central government 0.96% value of each council property per year (it’s double where more than one property is owned)? I can’t see it myself.
Private landlords will pass the cost on (but take the blame).

chirrupybird · 01/07/2026 15:37

vintedandminted · 01/07/2026 15:31

No. If you think it's unfair, move to the North and buy a cheaper house and take advantage of the lower tax.

And how do you sell the house with the huge annual bill attached to it? Just created a new stagnant housing market.

RoseOliviaAu · 01/07/2026 15:36

vintedandminted · 01/07/2026 15:31

No. If you think it's unfair, move to the North and buy a cheaper house and take advantage of the lower tax.

But then the northerners would be priced out of their areas and would complain…

RoseOliviaAu · 01/07/2026 15:33

Babyboomtastic · 01/07/2026 14:22

Why are you talking about 250 pound a month, it's £100 a month maximum, deferrable if needs be.

No one is losing their home over this.
No it is forced to make themselves work more and ill because of this.
No one's 'council tax' it's going to be shooting up to 10K.

It's a maximum of £100 a month more deferable if needs be, which a small proportion of the population will have to pay. A small place to pay for even out historic inequality which means some of the poor rest people are paying 10% of their income in coincil tax.

It is 100 more… at first. Initially. What does that mean? It means in a few years it’ll be sky high.

vintedandminted · 01/07/2026 15:31

TheLandlordsAreFrowning · 01/07/2026 10:14

The existing council tax scheme is hugely unfair. I can't say whether a replacement scheme would also be unfair as everything is speculation at the moment.

No. If you think it's unfair, move to the North and buy a cheaper house and take advantage of the lower tax.

SpaceRaccoon · 01/07/2026 15:27

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:18

You have no idea how they funded the purchase of their house. They could easily have less disposable income than you now.

Again, why should you pay less than someone with the equivalent type of house in another area. They don't own a mansion either. They might have kids and need that many bedrooms and need to stay local due to childcare etc. Why should they subsidise your local services?

The hilarious thing is that my original comment on the thread was that as much as I'd love to pay less council tax (which I would with the proposed property tax), my local council would go brankrupt. Ie I was actually realistically against it.

But of course someone on MN latches onto a harmless gripe about high council tax to have a go...

chirrupybird · 01/07/2026 15:24

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 10:11

Yes, but in principle do you agree that it's unfair?

It depends, will it replace council tax? How much will it be? How will they value the house or is it just the land? It could be very unfair but without the details who knows.

Have they actually published something that I've missed, everyone seems very certain how much it will be, I thought it was just vague suggestion at the minute.

Bellic · 01/07/2026 15:20

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:15

Your area must have a lot of expensive local services if you're paying double the rate of an equivalent house in London. Who benefits from these local services? You and your fellow citizens. Not people in London so why should they pay for the services?

You need to move away from the idea that council tax is a tax to pay for local services. It is to the extent to which it is paid to the council, but it isn’t as a rate which meets the cost of those services, otherwise councils in wealthy areas would be loaded (fewer people living in poverty with housing or social work needs). It’s just another tax. Instead of earnings it’s on assets held. Which is a good thing. We need to spread the tax take between earnings and assets out more. And I’m speaking as someone who’s bill would double if this was brought in.

MaturingCheeseball · 01/07/2026 15:19

Bellic · 01/07/2026 15:16

I would expect them to be billed a tax based on the value of the property they live in like everyone else. Wouldn’t you?

Yes, but if I can’t pay it, the apparent plan is to collect it after I sell/pop my clogs. What is the plan for someone in a property they don’t own?

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:18

SpaceRaccoon · 01/07/2026 15:16

Because they were wealthier enough to buy the more expensive house in the first place.

You have no idea how they funded the purchase of their house. They could easily have less disposable income than you now.

Again, why should you pay less than someone with the equivalent type of house in another area. They don't own a mansion either. They might have kids and need that many bedrooms and need to stay local due to childcare etc. Why should they subsidise your local services?

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maltravers · 01/07/2026 15:18

Bellic · 01/07/2026 15:16

I would expect them to be billed a tax based on the value of the property they live in like everyone else. Wouldn’t you?

They are “renters” so don’t have to pay according to the link up thread.

JulietteHasAGun · 01/07/2026 15:18

Ultimately people in bigger houses normally earn more so are already paying more tax through wages. So it does seem unfair they have to pay more again especially when they have the same amount of bin collections, street lights, etc as someone in a cheaper house.

I say that as someone in a cheap house so I’m not whinging because I’m affected.

Boreded · 01/07/2026 15:17

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 11:39

South East: When adjusted for the Retail Price Index (RPI) and Consumer Prices Index (CPI), the net change over the past two decades sits close to 0.2%.

Make sure you look at comparisons of house price increases vs inflation excluding house price inflation. Otherwise one is impacting the other and you’ll find very little difference between the two and end up with results skewed in your favour.

You say RPI and CPI but which are you actually comparing? CPI needed to validate your points

SpaceRaccoon · 01/07/2026 15:16

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:14

Someone with the more expensive house has a far bigger mortgage than you. Why do you think they have more money than you spare?

Because they were wealthier enough to buy the more expensive house in the first place.

Bellic · 01/07/2026 15:16

MaturingCheeseball · 01/07/2026 15:13

Is the property tax on top of council tax? What about people in social housing?

I would expect them to be billed a tax based on the value of the property they live in like everyone else. Wouldn’t you?

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:15

hahabahbag · 01/07/2026 15:13

I think the same percentage each year is much fairer than the current system where we pay double the rate in London for a house worth 1/4 of the amount. Council tax in London is cheaper (economies of scale plus less cheap a rated properties) at 0.48 ours would be £1000 a year cheaper, band e.

Your area must have a lot of expensive local services if you're paying double the rate of an equivalent house in London. Who benefits from these local services? You and your fellow citizens. Not people in London so why should they pay for the services?

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Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:14

SpaceRaccoon · 01/07/2026 15:13

It doesn't magically mean I have as much money as someone with the means to pay for a house worth five times mine, but who pays the same council tax as me rather than more.

It's a three bedroomed house, not a mansion.

Someone with the more expensive house has a far bigger mortgage than you. Why do you think they have more money than you spare?

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SpaceRaccoon · 01/07/2026 15:13

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:08

I imagine it's a very nice or big house though in your area. Do you think you should be contributing more than other people in your area? Why should I in a probably less nice house than yours in the south be subsidising you?

It doesn't magically mean I have as much money as someone with the means to pay for a house worth five times mine, but who pays the same council tax as me rather than more.

It's a three bedroomed house, not a mansion.

MaturingCheeseball · 01/07/2026 15:13

Is the property tax on top of council tax? What about people in social housing?

hahabahbag · 01/07/2026 15:13

I think the same percentage each year is much fairer than the current system where we pay double the rate in London for a house worth 1/4 of the amount. Council tax in London is cheaper (economies of scale plus less cheap a rated properties) at 0.48 ours would be £1000 a year cheaper, band e.

Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:12

Overwhelmedandtired · 01/07/2026 14:27

It potentially penalises people living in an expensive area at the introduction of the tax, but in the long term it makes moving between areas more affordable. And can free up more larger homes, as older people are more likely to downsize without large stamp duty bills to pay (and to reduce how much they need to pay for this tax).

The main issue is the way to introduce it. Someone with a large mortgage who has just paid the stamp duty would feel really hard done by. So maybe there could be a slower start for any extra payment if you have only moved in the last 5 or so years.

Try not to just think about the negative impact to your demographic, and consider the positive effects through others. Like making it easier and more affordable to move house. Property taxes are common in places like the USA so it isn't an unusual concept, just a change to our norm.

You can abolish stamp duty without requiring a small section of society to make up the shortfall. 25% of the country will pay more, but more than half of Londoners. If it's for the greater good to remove Stamp Duty (which is agree with) then everyone should be helping to replace the money lost. Not just a few because they're unlucky enough to live in expensive areas.

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Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:08

SpaceRaccoon · 01/07/2026 14:40

That would be me lol. Band fucking F and the house isn't even worth £350K.

I imagine it's a very nice or big house though in your area. Do you think you should be contributing more than other people in your area? Why should I in a probably less nice house than yours in the south be subsidising you?

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Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:07

Bellic · 01/07/2026 15:03

Yes I think you should move. You have a large asset. We tax earnings a lot in this country but we don’t tax wealth enough. Having assets is a type of wealth. You don’t get to avoid taxes on earnings because paying these taxes would be tricky for you, so why should you be allowed to avoid a tax on assets?

Will the mortgage company get taxed on the portion of the house they have a claim over?

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Itchthescratch · 01/07/2026 15:06

Ineedanewsofa · 01/07/2026 15:02

Maybe, that would be “levelling out” wouldn’t it? If the cheaper parts get more expensive due to more demand and the expensive parts get cheaper due to less? So there wouldn’t be such a massive disparity between Walthamstow and Walsall?

Yes, but what would that actually achieve though in real terms?

My friends in the north won't be happy as housing would become less affordable for those that haven't bought yet and those with children that want to buy in the future. Their house may be worth more but they will have to sell to release the money so won't 'feel' richer until they do this but they will get whacked with a higher property tax until they do this.

Those in the South who have recently bought will find themselves in negative equity. Again, this creates huge issues.

I'm not sure these downsides are worth the potential upsides of levelling everything up. I think neither my friends or the south will be happy.

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