Second home owners in Wales face soaring council tax bills after Labour-Plaid deal.

Building on what GillT57 said there is also a decline in service for local people. Holiday home owners don't need an optician, dentist, vet etc. These businesses become unviable and close and locals, often elderly, are forced to travel further for essential services. This is made more difficult as buses only operate during the summer...less residents mean they are unprofitable and don't run out of season.

Oopsadaisy1

Excellent idea, now do it in Cornwall.

And Devon!

Excellent idea, now do it in Cornwall.

The argument about holidaymakers staying in holiday homes is weak, even if people do not arrive with their wine and food deliveries ordered, what is spent over a few weeks cannot possibly be as much as a fully resident family. The implication for a small town are very serious, less children means schools closing, fewer families means cuts in social spending on schools, surgeries, hospitals. I congratulate the Welsh authorities on their brave stance

Paying more won’t stop people buying second homes though LauraNorderr, but what it will do is ensure they pay more for the privilege of owning them instead of paying reduced rates, and make sure that coastal towns and villages don’t die on their feet because such a high percentage of houses are second homes.

I was thinking about this and wondering what to post but LauraNorderr has expressed much what I wanted to say.

I do remember friends from London buying a tumbledown old isolated cottage which had been for sale for a very long time and renovating it sympathetically as a holiday home for them and to let out, bringing income to that area.

My fear is the creation of resentment through some of these measures resulting in bad feeling between locals and visitors.

This was at a time when holiday homes in Wales were being burnt down and I thought they were taking a risk but theirs was fine as far as I know.

In some areas of Cornwall villages are deserted much of the time, second home owners don't use local shops etc and I can see why resentment can creep in.

There is a need for a balance in the decision making.

We've had a huge influx of commuters from England buying homes in Wales too which has pushed up prices on the borders, pricing younger people out too.

It’s the same here in the Southwest. Locals absolutely priced out of buying a property… my son being one of them

I have mixed feelings. Holiday homes bring in much needed income during summer months in retail and hospitality. They create local jobs in building and maintenance throughout the year where they need repair and renovation.
They create a diverse and interesting population at holiday times. On the other hand they put a strain on local resources such as medical facilities.
In winter they create empty villages resulting in closure of local shops, schools and other useful amenities.
We could build more affordable housing but our young people don’t stay because there are few quality jobs outside of tourism which obviously is seasonal.
I don’t know what the answer is but I don’t think it should be driving away those who want a second home and do spend locally.
My fear is the creation of resentment through some of these measures resulting in bad feeling between locals and visitors.
Wales needs tourists, many don’t buy second homes but many do and we need both.

good

This is very good news. There are places in Wales where 40% of the properties are second homes. In SW England there are areas where only 20% of homes are lived in by permanent residents. Imagine that in your street - 4 out of 5 homes standing dark and empty for most of the year.

There is a house in my street which has only been occupied for 3 weeks in the last year whilst young families who should be the future of our area can't find anywhere to rent, let alone buy, and so move away.

Second home ownership rips the heart out of a community.

Anyone interested in how this impacts people living in small rural and coastal communities should read Homesick by Catrina Davies

This is going to get interesting over the next five years as part of their plans are to have care free at the point of delivery - if I had a second home in Wales, methinks I’d make it my main home....

Excellent

Good.