If All 2Nd Home Owners In The Uk Paid Double Standard Council Tax...

[Lepista]

Which professions gave us the most "2nd home" investors I wonder? Could it be politicians (with taxpayer money), media types (with TV license money) and finance execs (with everyones money)?

That would be a very interesting table.

[Realistbear]

"We must do all we can to avoid house prices dropping and thereby undermining our economy. I shall tell George to keep CGT levels low and let the local governments know that we will not be implementing any policies to discourage multiple home ownership with rises in council tax above the norm. King will have to be watched and reigned in if he even hints at raising rates until the house market stabilises. The house market is our line in the sand, if it collapses we are out of office, its that simple."

Wiki leak of a email from DC to cabinet.

It is a fiction, of course, but a fiction that I suggest is extremely close to the truth.

[Doctor Gloom]

"We must do all we can to avoid house prices dropping and thereby undermining our economy. I shall tell George to keep CGT levels low and let the local governments know that we will not be implementing any policies to discourage multiple home ownership with rises in council tax above the norm. King will have to be watched and reigned in if he even hints at raising rates until the house market stabilises. The house market is our line in the sand, if it collapses we are out of office, its that simple."

Wiki leak of a email from DC to cabinet.

It is a fiction, of course, but a fiction that I suggest is extremely close to the truth.

Merv... i'll get your coat.

I imagine afterwards they said to each other.

DC "We've fired all the bullets, we have nothing left."

A voice from the back, Sir "A stable housing market is the one which everyone can afford to buy into."

DC "Grrrrr"

[Wayo]

I think I'd be on the fence on this.

I imagine that most second homes are holiday homes.. people from Liverpool and Manchester buying homes in north Wales, Hooray Henry's from London heading down to the south and south west for their hols. I expect it's no coincidence that the last time this was proposed it was by the MP for Southampton.

I have no doubt that charging double council tax would encourage many people to sell up. This might be great in terms of house prices, but I would be concerned to implement it very slowly to see how it effected trade and tourism in these areas which depend on it.

What I definitely don't agree with is that second home owners should have DISCOUNTED council tax as they do currently (between 10% and 50% discounted rate). I would start by getting rid of this.. then seeing what effect it had before rolling out any plans to double it. I also wouldn't let local councils keep their grubby hands on it. Give it back to government to go towards the budget deficit.

Trying to enforce these daft rules on holiday home occupancy and second homes is like pushing water up a stream. Getting rid of the discounts is very sensible, as well as higher tax bands on larger properties. Eric Pickles also needs to look at why places like Westminster get so much money they only charge nominal rates of Council Tax, and set about cutting their funding. Then the local residents e.g HMQ would need to make a greater contribution. There have been various figures bandied around suggesting her bolt hole in Victoria has a similar council tax liability to a 4 bed semi in the shires.

[mightytharg]

Its not about people who rent somewhere to live during the week, its about people who own two homes

Someone who rents somewhere so he can work, but is unwilling or unable to sell his main home already pays 75% council tax on the place he rents and 90% council tax on his"second" home.

So, you lazy grasping socialist idiots face two major problems. First, owners of second homes by the idiot communist definition don't have to own two homes. Second, they already pay a supplement on their council tax, since the 90% they pay for the "second" home they own is higher than the 75% they pay on the place they have to rent.

They are faced with a tricky choice. Sell their home and move to the new job - typically this involves one years indentured labour to pay the stamp duty - and the job might not last a year. Or they can pay 165% council tax and still have to listen to you ungrateful fools whining about how they should pay 275% council tax instead.

[200p]

There's a nice 2 bed terrace not far from where I work, in a upper social ward, that is on sale for £177,000 (Just out of my price range). It is a second(+?) home that is not used by the owners as it has been on sale for 1 year and been empty, no furniture. It's somewhere where we would like to LIVE, and I could get rid of the car.

This is a different house to the one I've been putting down offers on (20+ miles away).

I said to the agent would they take £150,000. The agent said no, they might be interested if it was £1000-£2000 off.

So, still it lies empty, what a unjustifiable antisocial waste. An opportunity for others denied by the owners just because they were born in the right year.

---

Sure double council tax, watch them squirm.

Edited January 2, 2011 by Money Spinner

[Doctor Gloom]

Someone who rents somewhere so he can work, but is unwilling or unable to sell his main home already pays 75% council tax on the place he rents and 90% council tax on his"second" home.

So, you lazy grasping socialist idiots face two major problems. First, owners of second homes by the idiot communist definition don't have to own two homes. Second, they already pay a supplement on their council tax, since the 90% they pay for the "second" home they own is higher than the 75% they pay on the place they have to rent.

They are faced with a tricky choice. Sell their home and move to the new job - typically this involves one years indentured labour to pay the stamp duty - and the job might not last a year. Or they can pay 165% council tax and still have to listen to you ungrateful fools whining about how they should pay 275% council tax instead.

Once more, its not about renting, its about people who own two homes.

What 99.9% of the population might describe as "the ultimate luxury".

Interesting to know why people are ungrateful to people who own 2 homes yet have a discount on the 2nd which is only frequented for a couple weeks a year, effectively destroying local communities and turning areas into ghost towns, it's well publicised.

I think double council tax for the 2nd property is a very fair way to go, esp if it means communities who are missing out otherwise get a little extra to help against local austerity measures, which means people who actually live there have to miss out on closing local amenities.

Local councils don't care that amenities for the disabled are closing. Whats so special about 2nd home owners?

[mightytharg]

it has been on sale for 1 year and been empty, no furniture

It has no furniture because you grasping socialists have a tax on furniture. This probably makes it more difficult to sell, which is why it has been empty for a year.

Yet you blame the victims?

I don't know what's wrong with you people.

[SarahBell]

It has no furniture because you grasping socialists have a tax on furniture. This probably makes it more difficult to sell, which is why it has been empty for a year.

Yet you blame the victims?

I don't know what's wrong with you people.

Are you on the right forum?

[Daft Boy]

Once more, its not about renting, its about people who own two homes.

What 99.9% of the population might describe as "the ultimate luxury".

Interesting to know why people are ungrateful to people who own 2 homes yet have a discount on the 2nd which is only frequented for a couple weeks a year, effectively destroying local communities and turning areas into ghost towns, it's well publicised.

I think double council tax for the 2nd property is a very fair way to go, esp if it means communities who are missing out otherwise get a little extra to help against local austerity measures, which means people who actually live there have to miss out on closing local amenities.

Local councils don't care that amenities for the disabled are closing. Whats so special about 2nd home owners?

over the last thirty years people whose families have lived for centuries in an area have been unable to buy a property in the village or town they were born in. The houses have all been bought up by people outside of the area for use as a holiday home. This has resulted in young families moving out of the area causing primary schools, post offices, village pubs, local shops and garages to close down due to lack of day to day trade. local transport has been withdrawn because of no demand. Second home owners have a moral responsibility to redress the economic balance by paying a large precept to offset the immense damage they have caused to these communities.

[mightytharg]

Are you on the right forum?

Is there a forum specifically about the furniture tax?

This is the closest one I could find.

I say get rid of a few lesbian support officers and axe the furniture tax.

It's all about fairness.

(For those who don't know, Councils charge 80% more tax for a furnished home - causing senseless destruction of furniture).

[SarahBell]

(For those who don't know, Councils charge 80% more tax for a furnished home - causing senseless destruction of furniture).

They should charge 20000% more council tax for a house that isn't lived in!

Holiday homes in the UK are astromical to rent - and up until recently nulabour had allowed people to offset losses on their holiday rental against their income (I'm sure someone will clarify this)

There are masses of empty homes in the UK and it's time they were used.

[ken_ichikawa]

They should charge 20000% more council tax for a house that isn't lived in!

Holiday homes in the UK are astromical to rent - and up until recently nulabour had allowed people to offset losses on their holiday rental against their income (I'm sure someone will clarify this)

There are masses of empty homes in the UK and it's time they were used.

Nah you could only do that if it was a highly unusual event. If you set this off many many times HMRC would send you a letter asking why.

[Tired of Waiting]

The government / councils around the UK would reap £620,000,000 in revenue to help stave of local austerity measures, such as closing essensial amenities, if second home council tax was doubled. Each of the 48 counties in the UK could have its local budget increased by at least £5,000,000 just by doubling second home council tax rates, on top of the discounted rates they alreadt reap.

In these tough times isn't it about time rich 2nd home owners paid slightly more than their already discounted tax rates? and at the same time eased local austerity measures paid for by people who can best afford it.

As a comparison it costs approximately £6,000 per year to keep a 40 foot yacht on a mooring, on the Isle of Wight. Currently the 2nd home tax rate is a discounted and lowly £1100. I suspect other councils may still only charge half rates instead of 90% here on the Isle of Wight where we have 4,000 second homes.

Just remember that when your local disability restbite group ceases its funding or your local swimming pool shuts to save £60,000.

If all the 2nd home owners choose to sell up on the back of this, great, it will help the supposed national housing shortage and might actually bring societies back together again.

Good idea.

[mightytharg]

Good idea.

!?

Do you idiots realise that the councils (who you want to extort more money from other people to support) are the ones restricting house-building.

The council is the reason you are rent-for-ever losers or paid too much for your houses.

It's like the prisoners calling for pay rises for their jailors.

Seriously, what's wrong with you people?

[Tired of Waiting]

!?

Do you idiots realise that the councils (who you want to extort more money from other people to support) are the ones restricting house-building.

The council is the reason you are rent-for-ever losers or paid too much for your houses.

It's like the prisoners calling for pay rises for their jailors.

Seriously, what's wrong with you people?

Firstly, please don't be rude.

Secondly, property taxes press property prices down.

[Daft Boy]

!?

Do you idiots realise that the councils (who you want to extort more money from other people to support) are the ones restricting house-building.

The council is the reason you are rent-for-ever losers or paid too much for your houses.

It's like the prisoners calling for pay rises for their jailors.

Seriously, what's wrong with you people?

Thats a good point. Green belt land should be released around these villages to allow affordable housing for local young people. The only people who are objecting to this on the Isle of Wight are NIMBY second home owners who do not want the tranquility or value of their holiday homes affected.

[Democorruptcy]

Sliding scale please.

Own 2 homes pay double council tax on both, own 3 homes pay treble council tax on all three, etc.

[ken_ichikawa]

Sliding scale please.

Own 2 homes pay double council tax on both, own 3 homes pay treble council tax on all three, etc.

Breaking the Chinese one child policy (in the cities) is kinda like that t he fines I mean. Also only the first child is entitled to any sort of state assistance (school, subsidised medical care, social security when unemployed).

[mightytharg]

Firstly, please don't be rude.

Secondly, property taxes press property prices down.

How so? When the rent-for-ever losers pay the taxes.

Even if you are so misguided as to be against second homes, what have you got against furniture? Why the furniture tax?

[Tired of Waiting]

Sliding scale please.

Own 2 homes pay double council tax on both, own 3 homes pay treble council tax on all three, etc.

Even better. Well done.

I would also suggest that the same rate charged for cheap properties should apply to all properties, and without any cap.

Here, in the case of our rented flat's case (an ugly little thing), we pay around 1% of its market value/year. I don't see any reason why expensive properties pay a lower rate. And even worse, why it is capped, meaning that mansions pay a ridiculously low rate. Absurd. Shameful. Criminal. :angry:

[Tired of Waiting]

How so? When the rent-for-ever losers pay the taxes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_wedge

Even if you are so misguided as to be against second homes, what have you got against furniture? Why the furniture tax?

[Fawkandles]

The trouble is the husband will own one home and the wife the other.

^ this, and each get a 25% discount

Edited January 2, 2011 by Fawkandles

[Authoritarian]

Sliding scale please.

Own 2 homes pay double council tax on both, own 3 homes pay treble council tax on all three, etc.

This isn't a bad shout imo, my only reservation is that it would be too tempting to avoid using accountancy tricks (as other people have mentioned) or exploiting inefficiencies in local council administration.

There are better forms of property tax that avoid these downsides.

[hpc-craig]

Sliding scale please.

Own 2 homes pay double council tax on both, own 3 homes pay treble council tax on all three, etc.

Very good idea. I Like it.

As has been said this isn't about people who rent a house in London during the week and head back 'home' to Yorkshire for the week end. It's about people who own a house and then decide to buy another one somewhere else, Cornwall is the classic example.

The young Cornish people cannot afford to buy a place of their own as a lot of the houses in their towns and villages are occupied for 2 weeks a year by greedy bankers. The second home owners oppose any building developments and create 'ghost communities'. I have been a long time supporter of increasing taxation on multiple home owners and this is the classic example that sticks in my mind: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/conflict-between-local-people-and-second-home-owners-in-cornwall/7239.html

I would say at least double council tax on second homes and no rights to oppose building developments. The additional council tax could be spent on building new homes for the locals.

P.s. I am far from a socialist, and I would think 99% of the members of this forum would not call themselves a socialist either.