Second homeowners to pay double council tax

Owners of second homes in North Yorkshire are set to pay double the amount of council tax from 1 April next year.

North Yorkshire Council said there was "a critical lack of affordable housing that is undermining communities", with more than 8,000 second homes in the county.

Councillors approved the new 100% premium on second homes earlier this year. It is expected to generate £16m each year, which could be spent on additional housing.

Gareth Dadd, deputy leader of North Yorkshire Council, said the number of second homes meant there were "many villages and hamlets where you struggle to find a local family living there permanently".

According to figures from the National Housing Federation, there are 8,081 second homes in North Yorkshire - the highest number in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Many of the second homes in the county are found on the coast and in villages in the Yorkshire Dales.

Dadd said: "Nobody can tell me that its right, that you don't see a light bulb on in the property between January and February."

"In some places second home ownership has reduced the supply of homes for local people and that has had an impact on local schools and the effect on those communities has been quite disastrous."

Councillors said they hope the move will encourage people to sell or rent out their second homes to help local residents struggling to find housing.

Meanwhile, Tracy Matthews, from Wilman and Lodge Estate Agents in Grassington, said: "Properties get snapped up very quickly and local people don't get a look in."

Ms Matthews said she believed the real issue was the number of holiday lets.

"Most of the people are holiday let people and if they fit the criteria for small business rates they don't pay council tax anyway, so they'll be exempt from the new charge," she said.

North Yorkshire Council said there was strict criteria for holiday lets and they must be available for rent for a minimum of 140 days a year.

The council said it promised to be "very robust" in making sure holiday lets were genuine.

Dadd added: "There is an acute shortage of housing for local people in many communities in North Yorkshire.

"We as a council are proud to be leading the way with such a forward-thinking scheme to introduce the council tax premium that will ideally see these second homes brought back into use for local people."

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