South Hams council plans to adopt second home council tax premium

A Devon council is planning to charge second homeowners double council tax.

South Hams' District councillors unanimously voted for the change.

The government included tax premiums for second homes in May in its Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

The plans, which would allow local councils to charge double council tax on furnished homes not used as a sole or main residence, are not expected to be introduced until 2024 at the earliest, the council said.

South Hams District Council passed the proposals on Thursday at a full council meeting and a final agreement will be made in February 2023.

Council leader Judy Pearce said second home ownership had affected the "long-term viability of communities within the South Hams".

"The sheer quantity of second homes means that house prices are pushed upwards," she said.

"This can deny a home to a local resident as prices are pushed outside of what they can reasonably afford."

Ms Pearce said with just under 4,000 second homes in the district, nearly one in every 12 homes was a second home.

She added: "We're not declaring war on second homes; we're simply levelling the field to make it easier for our local residents to find somewhere to live."

Councillor Julian Brazil, leader of the opposition, said he was "delighted" the motion had been a joint one with the leader of the council.

"To people who say it is an attack on second homeowners, it is not," he said.

"What it is, is asking them to pay a fair share to our communities.

"They're in the lucky position to own not one, but two houses, when many of our local families here struggle to own just one."

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