If you own a second or holiday home Wales is coming for you

If you own a second or holiday home Wales is coming for you

16:18 PM, 6th July 2021, About 4 years ago 26

Text Size

The Welsh Government has announced a new plan they say has ‘fairness at its heart’ to ensure everyone in Wales can have access to good quality, affordable housing.

The three-pronged plan will focus on: – Support – addressing affordability and availability of housing,

– Regulatory framework and system – covering planning law and the introduction of a statutory registration scheme for holiday accommodation

– a fairer contribution – using national and local taxation systems to ensure second homeowners make a fair and effective contribution to the communities in which they buy.

There will also be a pilot area in Wales, to be decided over the summer, where these new measures will be trialled and evaluated before being considered for a wider rollout.

Other supporting actions, including the work on a registration scheme for all holiday accommodation and a consultation on changes to local taxes to manage the impact of second homes and self-catered accommodation, will also begin over the summer..

Last year, Wales became the only country in the UK to give local authorities the power to charge 100% council tax increase on second homes.

Minister for Climate Change, who is responsible for housing, Julie James said: “Meeting with Rachel, Josh from the Community Land Trust, Pembrokeshire Council, and the developers ateb today, has demonstrated how community action and good government policy can work together to bring fairness back into our housing market.

“The continuing rise of house prices mean people, especially younger generations, can no longer afford to live in the communities they have grown up in. A high concentration of second homes or holiday lets can have a very detrimental impact on small communities, and in some areas could compromise the Welsh language being spoken at a community level.

“We have already taken strides on some of these issues – last year we became the only nation in the UK to give local authorities the power to introduce a 100% council tax levy on second homes. But the urgency and gravity of this situation calls for further intervention, which means real and ambitious actions are delivered at pace, to inject fairness back into the housing system.

“Taking recommendations from Dr Brooks’ report, our new three-pronged approach will kick-start a summer of action which will determine how we tackle this issue now and into the future. I am calling on all political parties across the Senedd to get involved in this, as we look to empower our communities to exercise their right to live in good quality homes, wherever they are in Wales.”

Over the summer Welsh Government will work to:

  • Work with stakeholders to agree the basis and location or locations for an evaluated pilot;
  • Develop a coherent and effective support package to trial within the pilot;
  • Frame a statutory registration scheme for all tourist accommodation and continue to engage with stakeholders on the shape of the model we will implement, including both the registration and inspection arrangements;
  • Consult on possible changes to local taxes to support local authorities manage the impact of second homes and self-catered accommodation; and
  • Establish a draft Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan for consultation in the autumn.

  • Share This Article


Comments

Chris @ Possession Friend

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

13:59 PM, 8th July 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dr Rosalind Beck at 08/07/2021 - 13:28
Its not just Football that's coming 'home' ( excuse the pun ) but also massive increases to Councils Homeless Emergency accommodation. - courtesy of this government.

T G

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

9:16 AM, 10th July 2021, About 3 years ago

They are trying to push the small fry out and let the big boys take over. (Lloyds, John Lewis, etc)

Edwin Cowper

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

20:05 PM, 10th July 2021, About 3 years ago

This news is absolutely wonderful. Lets have it across all england too.

Young people and many older ones are completely priced out of the market across England. Esp Devon and Cornwall. Norfolk used to be a reasonable price but the newspaper said the other day the prices have gone through the roof (they have).

The government must DO something. Including measures like these and getting housebuilders to build houses we need not the four bedroom ones they want to sell us.

I have been a top ten builders solicitor and am a member of the conservative party

Luke P

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

20:35 PM, 10th July 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Edwin Cowper at 10/07/2021 - 20:05
Yet you’re obviously not conservative in your values…

HardworkingLandlord

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

10:33 AM, 11th July 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by LaLo at 07/07/2021 - 11:56Plus side of the endless legislation is that while we have S24 taxation you can expense all of these enhancement so they cannot tax you on them

Bruce Patterson

Become a Member

If you login or become a member you can view this members profile, comments, posts and send them messages!

Sign Up

14:22 PM, 29th July 2021, About 3 years ago

No issue with increasing tax on vacant holiday/second homes which are used occasionally and which are no doubt a luxury item/lifestyle choice - notwithstanding the council should differentiate between genuine landlords who provide a service for those clients who prefer to rent.

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Automated Assistant Read More