Reform leader Nigel Farage has hit out the Government over new taxes on second home owners. Since April 1, councils across England are able to charge a council tax premium on second homes of up to 100%.
Second home owners in more than 200 local authorities across England have received four-figure council tax bills – following in the footsteps of Scotland and Wales, The Telegraph reports. Mr Farage is backing the newspaper’s campaign calling for the premium to be abolished, saying: “Owning property used to be a right and a freedom. Today it is an excuse for the Government to use extortion.”
More than two-thirds of councils across England are believed to have taken up the new tax powers which could generate an extra £445 million in revenue, according to analysis by Sky News.
The premium is charged on properties which are “occupied periodically” and “substantially furnished”, however the Government has created a number of exemptions.
The Telegraph reports that letters have poured in from second home owners who are unhappy with the tax increase.
They claim they don’t feel “rich” but are invested in property or have inherited childhood homes and often feel more at home at their second property where they are part of the community and add to the economy.
In one of these letters, Chris Lawrence, from Norfolk, wrote: “Our new council tax is £6,362.96 a year, despite hardly using any services from the authority, apart from an occasional rubbish collection.
“Yet we always support local tradesman, frequent the local restaurants, pubs, car parks, and hairdressers when we are at our lovely second property.
“As a result of the council tax, we are selling our main home. After two years, we will leave the UK. We get the distinct impression we aren’t welcome any more.
“The council won’t achieve their alleged intention of more housing for locals, as our barn conversion will be on the market for around £1,000,000. The net result is we won’t be funding any of the local businesses we have supported for the past 10 years.”
The Government has continued to stress it has inherited a “housing crisis” and that too many second homes in an area can increase costs and negatively impact public services.
