Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

My goodness, I’m glad I only have a family share of our caravan in North Wales rather than a holiday home in Wales!! Discretion to charge 100 per cent increase on council tax for second properties throughout the most of Wales would certainly put the wind up us !!!

I’ve just been reading the following in the DM from the letters page, plus Pembrokeshire Council website.
I have to be honest, even though I live on the border of North Wales,this is the first I’ve heard about it. Have you? What are your views on it?

Quote

Many people with second homes in Wales seem unaware that from next April local councils will have the power to increase council tax on those homes by up to 100 per cent.
Several councils have already indicated their intentions to make those charges, though by what amounts is still under consideration.
The main targets of these tax increases are people with homes in popular tourist areas, such as the coastal regions of north and south-west Wales.

The main justification given for these increases is to provide funds to build “affordable” homes for “local people”. Some councils are still providing an online consultation for people to state their views on the subject.

I believe aspects of these proposals are immoral. Taxation should be fair and affordable. How can a 100 per cent increase be considered fair, and how is a council to assess affordability?
Many second-home owners acquired their properties many years ago and shouldn’t be faced with swingeing increases that they can’t have anticipated.

Is it true second homes are largely unused during most the year? And don’t forget owners live outside the voting areas and are unable to influence the situation through the ballot box.

Brian J Steele, Stockport

Unquote.

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Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

I assume, unless the second homes are heavily rented out, that very little local authority services would be used. Seems like a strongly ideological move i.e providing affordable homes

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

Im for an increase in holiday homes CT, more and more house are taken off the market in small areas where they are let out for just a few months of the year .
And when you look at the ridiculous prices that they charge for one week to holiday makers they can well afford the increase .
As long as the council do put that extra to building affordable for the Local people .

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

I've lived in Wales and seen cottages bought and then remain empty for most of the year - towns and villages die around the unoccupied properties .....

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

I think they should pay full council tax . We ordinary folk can't afford a second home , if they can afford a second home they can afford two council tax bills . And yes the money to help those young ones desperately trying to buy or rent a first ever home .

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

Many councils are being hammered by the present government, finding ways to replace lost revenue is a constant challenge. I suspect this is one of those.

As log as i goes on local services, something we all want to be as good as can be.

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

I think if you can afford a second home you can also afford to pay a suitable 'second home' council tax.

As others have said, second homes in some places deprive the local community not just of homes but a population and this has resulted in a loss of local services .
The extra tax could be used to compensate for some of those losses.

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

Absolutely Meg....there are areas around North Norfolk here where a huge amount of propertys are holiday lets so standing empty for quite a large amount of time ...

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

Hopefully it will stop folk leaving them empty, we have two very near me that are waiting for another owner adjacent to die so they can get a good deal from a builder for all three plots. Then the builder will cram in about ten houses which will be called "executive homes" and cost a bomb.

Re: Wow! talk about a council tax increase.....

Tend to agree with you all. This week in our local rag, our MP claimed the front page because he made a point of walking throughout the town centre and noticed how many top flats and store-rooms above countless shops, were not being used (filthy nets - years old gave them away).
He said it was an utter scandal that they were not being utilised as living accommodation and there certainly should not be any properties lying empty for years when people are crying out for somewhere to live.
He said if everyone got together, maybe they could work out grants etc to get them back on the market. But doing nothing is not good enough in this day when there is such a shortage of accommodation.