FOI release

Freedom of Information Request — Empty Property Rate Relief Register

This request was refused in full, so we didn't provide the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference FOI2026/00673

Received 4 July 2026

Published 31 July 2026

Request

I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please provide the following information in respect of non-domestic properties (business rates hereditaments) in your billing authority area that are currently in receipt of Empty Property Rate Relief or are otherwise recorded as unoccupied on your business rates register: 1. Billing authority property reference 2. Property address and postcode 3. Rateable value 4. Date on which the property was first recorded as vacant / unoccupied 5. Type of empty rate relief applied (full, partial, discretionary, or none) I would be grateful if the response could be provided in a machine-readable format — CSV or Excel is ideal. If the cost of this request would exceed the appropriate limit set out in Section 12 of the Act, please advise on how the request might be narrowed to remain within the limit — for example, by restricting to properties with a rateable value over a specific threshold, or to properties vacant for more than a specific period. I confirm that I am making this request in a personal capacity as provided for under the Act. If you need to clarify any aspect of this request, please reply to this email and I will respond promptly.

Response

In accordance with section 1(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Oxford City Council (OCC) confirms that it holds information falling within the scope of your request. However, OCC considers that the requested information is exempt from disclosure under section 31(1)(a) of the FOIA.

Section 31(1)(a) applies where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. There must be a real and significant risk of prejudice and a logical connection between disclosure and the harm identified.

Disclosure under the FOIA is disclosure to the public generally, rather than solely to the person making the request. Providing a current, machine-readable list containing the full addresses of properties known to be unoccupied, together with the date on which each property became vacant and its relief status, would make those premises easier to identify and target.

OCC considers that disclosure would be likely to increase the risk of offences associated with vacant commercial premises, including burglary, theft of fixtures or materials, criminal damage, vandalism, arson and unlawful entry associated with squatting. The Information Commissioner has previously accepted that disclosing the addresses of vacant commercial properties can create a real and significant risk to the prevention of crime because such information provides a readily usable means of identifying potential targets.

OCC has considered whether any of the requested fields could be disclosed separately. However, every entry would be included in the requested dataset specifically because the property is recorded as unoccupied. The combination of property references, exact rateable values, vacancy dates, postcodes and relief information could also be cross-referenced with other publicly available property information to identify particular vacant premises. OCC has therefore withheld the requested account-level list in full.

Section 31 is a qualified exemption. OCC has therefore considered the public interest test. OCC recognises the public interest in openness and transparency concerning the administration of business rates and empty property relief. Disclosure could also provide information about the number, location and value of vacant commercial properties and could assist those seeking premises for legitimate occupation.

However, these considerations are outweighed by the strong public interest in preventing crime, protecting vacant properties and neighbouring premises, safeguarding property owners and avoiding additional demands upon public services arising from crime and disorder. OCC considers that the public interest therefore favours maintaining the exemption.

In accordance with section 17 of the FOIA, this letter constitutes a refusal notice in respect of the information withheld under section 31(1)(a).

In accordance with section 16 of the FOIA, which relates to the duty to provide reasonable advice and assistance, OCC advises that restricting the request to properties above a particular rateable value or properties vacant for a specified period would not necessarily remove the section 31 concern, because the resulting information would still identify particular premises as unoccupied.

If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s) made. You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either email monitoringofficer@oxford.gov.uk – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford City Council, Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX. After the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf. You may do this by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Officer

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is Oxford City Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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