Latest news with #doublecounciltax
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
‘My hut has no running water but the council charged me double tax'
When Derbyshire Dales district council voted to saddle second home owners with double council tax bills, officials argued it would free up more homes for first-time buyers. Those prospective buyers, however, likely have little appetite for a one-bedroom 1920s hutment with no running water, electricity or mains sewage system. And yet the council saw it fit to slap owners John and Fiona Jeffrey with a double council tax bill, amounting to £3,000 a year. Mr Jeffery, 66, and Mrs Jeffery, 63, whose main residence is in Sheffield, are outraged – not least because you would be hard-pressed to call their hutment habitable. It is inaccessible by road and a 40-minute walk from the nearest village. Had the council wanted to inform the couple in writing about the property's new tax bill, they wouldn't have been able to send a letter because there is no postal service. In fact, it is difficult to think of any council service that reaches their property. There is no bin collection or street lighting let alone libraries or schools. And yet, they are one of around 1,000 second home owners in the Derbyshire Dales who must now pay twice as much for these services.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Scottish islanders battling second home tax force council to reconsider: Could more follow suit?
A Scottish Island may be about to force a u-turn over the decision to impose double council tax on second homeowners. Residents of Great Cumbrae, a small island off the west coast of Scotland, have been left outraged by the tax, according to reports in the Telegraph. North Ayrshire Council is now reviewing its decision to impose a 100 per cent council tax premium on second homeowners amid the backlash. Residents argue the tax will hurt the local economy due to its heavy reliance on tourism. Roughly one third of all properties on the island are second homes, while one quarter of its 1,400 residents work in tourist related jobs. Cameron Inglis, the Conservative leader on North Ayrshire Council, told the Telegraph that the reaction from residents had been 'fiery.' Residents on the island of Great Cumbrae argue that the second home tax will hurt the local economy due to its heavy reliance on tourism Pictured: Millport, Great Cumbrae Island 'We are asking second home owners to pay double, get nothing in return, so that we can balance our budget gap,' said Inglis. 'The whole thing has been pushed through so that supposedly rich people can plug a budget gap. The whole thing is a sham. It's smoke and mirrors.' Meanwhile, Alex Harvie, chairman of the Cumbrae Community Council said the double council tax would reduce income across the island and potentially 'start a spiral of decline' as facilities fall into disrepair. An impact assessment found the council tax hike would strip £500,000 off the island's £12.9million annual GDP. It remains to be seen as to whether this will be the first of many challenges faced by councils over the 100 per cent council tax premium. The majority of Scottish councils have now doubled council tax on second homes and three quarters of local authorities in England and Wales have also done so. Second homes for council tax purposes are defined as furnished properties where nobody lives, or where the owner has their main residence elsewhere. It means many second home owners in England paying the typical Band D council tax of £2,171 are seeing their annual bills rise to £4,342. Holiday hotspots such as Cornwall, Norfolk and Somerset are among those introducing the tax, in a bid to make homes more affordable for local people. For those who own second homes that are in a more expensive bracket, the costs could be astronomical. For example, someone who owns a Band H home in Salcombe - a second home hotspot in Devon - will see their council tax double from £4,716.42 to £9,432.84. Have you been hit by the second home council tax hike? Get in touch: editor@ Best mortgage rates and how to find them Mortgage rates have risen substantially over recent years, meaning that those remortgaging or buying a home face higher costs. That makes it even more important to search out the best possible rate for you and get good mortgage advice. Quick mortgage finder links with This is Money's partner L&C > Mortgage rates calculator > Find the right mortgage for you To help our readers find the best mortgage, This is Money has partnered with the UK's leading fee-free broker L&C. This is Money and L&C's mortgage calculator can let you compare deals to see which ones suit your home's value and level of deposit. You can compare fixed rate lengths, from two-year fixes, to five-year fixes and ten-year fixes. If you're ready to find your next mortgage, why not use This is Money and L&C's online Mortgage Finder. It will search 1,000's of deals from more than 90 different lenders to discover the best deal for you.
