The Victorian State Revenue Office (SRO) has reminded people that homes left unoccupied for more than 6 months in 2017, which are located in 16 of Melbourne’s inner and middle council areas (see FAQ), may attract vacant residential land tax.
Owners of a property in one of the affected council areas that was unoccupied for 6 months or more between 1 May and 31 December 2017, must notify the SRO via its online portal by 15 January 2018. After this, the tax will operate on a calendar year basis.
The SRO warns that its compliance program will look at both non-reporting of vacant properties and incorrect exemption claims.
To help people understand their obligations concerning vacant residential land tax, the SRO has provided:
- An online guide to help determine liability.
- Answers to ‘frequently asked questions’ (FAQ).
- A vacant residential land tax calculator.
The SRO says it is running interactive webinars over the coming weeks (running 14 Dec 2017 to 11 Jan 2018), with experts who can answer questions about the tax.
The SRO says it has also created a range of resources for tax representatives and other businesses to use in raising awareness of vacant residential land tax with their members and customers. The resources include a newsletter article, social media posts and supporting images.
[LTN 237, 11/12/17; Tax Month Dec 2017]