Second homes!

jambutty · 28-07-2006, 15:49

If you are stuck for a topic can I recommend that you listen to Jeremy Vine at noon Monday to Friday on Radio 2.

Today one of the discussions was about second homes and the Council Tax charged for them. One guy was suggesting that the second home should attract the normal Council Tax times 5. Naturally second home owners took the opposite view and ne’er the two shall meet.

As I understood it the owner of a second home is only charged 90% of the Council Tax because the property is left empty for most of the year. Also the people who live and work in the larger cities are most likely to have a second home and equally it is most likely to be in some part of rural England. Cornish fishing villages are extremely popular.

You can hardly blame someone living in a Cornish fishing village where work is not plentiful to sell his/her house for the best price that s/he can get and move to where there is work. Sadly this takes a house off the market that a young village couple would like to have bought, except the outsider has outbid them. The second homes stay empty for most of the year whilst the young villagers cannot find a place that they can afford to buy. So they move out and slowly the village is in terminal decline.

It seems to me that the fairest way would be to charge double or even treble the Council Tax for the days that the second home is not occupied and 50% on the days that it is. Don’t forget that the owner of the second home pays full Council Tax on the first home. It shouldn’t be too difficult to arrange.

This extra revenue could be used to build social housing for the young of the village and thus maintain its viability.

Madhatter · 28-07-2006, 16:06

why charge tripple? why just because someone works and chooses to spend their money on a holiday home should they be charged tripple. I say they should be charged normal but for only the days that they are there. The rest of the time ethey should pay nothing. When they are not there they are not creating rubbish using services etc.Although the services do have to be provided all year round, so the present system seems to treat everyone fairly.

Pendy whats your and yours opinion on this?.

entwisi · 28-07-2006, 17:37

I see the privacy peeps being up in arms if you tried to 'log' where people are. As for second homes, I agree with MH, If I save up and choose to buy a second home with my money as opposed to blowing it all on drink, drugs and debaucery then that is my choice. I do however think that you should pay something all year and TBH I think 90% does seem a fair figure. People aren't in it to create rubbish but the wagon still has top drive by to see if there is any. Likewise the street lights have to be on in case you decide to turn up at some ungodly hour. Services still need to be supplied to a degree so payment should be forthcoming.

The argument of outsiders pushing up prices simply doesn't hold weight I'm afraid. Look at Accy, I don't see many city slickers buying property here but we were still in the top 10 of price rises a year or so back. In reality even here people on minimum wage (which there are a heck of a lot of ) would struggle to afford a mortgage on a basic 2 bed terrace.(min wage ~£220/week, 2 1/2 times joint salary, ~£55K tops for the mortgage. That just about gets you a terrace in need of work nowadays)

steeljack · 28-07-2006, 18:11

tax breaks for second home mortgages should be abolished

Madhatter · 28-07-2006, 18:49

I've thought about it some more and I withdraw my comment on only paying while they are there, I can see that wouldn't work, but I stand by my opinion that if we decide to save our money and do whatever with it then we shouldn't be penalised. You'll be saying people should be paying three times household tax rates for a static caravan holiday home next.

Busman747 · 28-07-2006, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty[FONT=Times New Roman

You can hardly blame someone living in a Cornish fishing village where work is not plentiful to sell his/her house for the best price that s/he can get and move to where there is work. Sadly this takes a house off the market that a young village couple would like to have bought, except the outsider has outbid them. The second homes stay empty for most of the year whilst the young villagers cannot find a place that they can afford to buy. So they move out and slowly the village is in terminal decline.[/FONT]

A sad picture you paint jambutty, BUT! What if that same person RENTS their Cornish house at an inflated price to some mug from London which will give him or her a monthly financial boost to locate elsewhere where there is work to be found, What you are suggesting is that He or She should be penalised by paying additional council tax on their "second" home because they own a house in Cornwall?

They could get the tenants to accept responsibility for council tax, but that would affect the net income they would receive.

IF I was in a position to buy a second "holiday home" (I wish) I would resent being charged more than my neighbour for refuse collecting, road repairs etc all things that I am not using for several months of the year, I think that people that bring up these subjects are a little GREEN with envy and would certainly have a different opinion if they are financially able to own a second home.

(Don't forget, places like Cornwall have a low band of council tax simply because they do not enjoy many of the services that a large town or city has)