Over two years ago, Wales Provides councils of powers more likely to increase Council Tax in Second Homes. If you read new headings, you will think that it is a disaster.
“Rage“Said Express. A “” Botched “policy that’s “with the tatters“After” £ 30k off house prive “in fact, these publications are right: the changes to an end to the second home owners. However, what the titles don’t matter.
Because of the unstable fact that our country is bloody beautiful, people love to visit and buy second houses here. In some parts of Cymru, it has become a major problem. In Gwynedd province, The numbers are astronomical. To 2021 of all Beddgelert assets, 23% are second homes. It’s 25% of the aberdaron and up to 40% of Llanengan.
It has many knocking effects. Home prices are local young people can’t reach the stairs where they grow up. Most of them are first-language speakers in Welsh, which means the language is in the rural areas of Cymraeg – the Welsh language – for centuries.
The high-home owner rate also means that, unless the forecast period can be good (which of the wales often as an eclipse), these towns and villages are half empty. This is the cause of pubs. There are fewer children, so schools are close. It destroys the heart of our communities.
To try this, the Government of Welsh Labor, along the plaid Cymru, indicated steps to prevent second-home ownership. This includes providing councils the ability to push the Second Homes Council tax on 300% custom rates. They also closed a loophole where second-home owners can register as a business to pay off the lower business rates.
Gwynedd Council uses these powers to Tax at Hike Council up to 150% on April 2023. At the end of 2024, the price at home had fell to 12.4% As the homeowners attempted. In Pembrokekhire, home prices fell to 8.9% after the council increase Council Tax of 200% in Second Home (Even if it is reduced to 150% recent).
As always the case with the cultural war, some media elements are lost in their mind. Reported to mail An “anti-English attack”, and the fall of home prices are widely reported as a negative.
First things first: reject this “anti-English” garbage. About two-thirds of those with holiday homes At Pembrokekhire lived in Wales, most of South Wales. Being english is not the issue here. Second, just the summer before, the same daily mail reports how the tourists “gathered in their roves In the main locations of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park “, so it does not hit tourism difficult.
Finally, it’s hard to see the price drop in the house as anything different from a positive. So often the policy changes do not directly help ordinary people and often have active harm (the benefit of the benefit of failure, for example). What we have here is to push – by a controversial policy because directly helps communities affected by decisions of those who have a lot of money.
No the policy is perfect. Ending business rate loophole means to register as a business, a property should be allowed 50% of the year (182 days). As a result even if your property is given for each week and all July and August, you will not qualify as a business. It is punished by many legitimate businesses, and even the plaid cymru admits that it should lower it if it has power after 2026.
However, the effect of tourism is not only in second homes. It also causes problems for communities in terms of traffic, infrastructure and parking. To try this, the Government of Welsh indicates a tourist tax. This Visitor Levy is the same as the one you pay for you to go to places like Barcelona on holiday.
Anyone who reads this column always knows that most of the most of the way Wales has been handled since the Welsh government shows a nearly lack of ambition for the country. But when it comes to tourist taxes, I think they have it right.
The new law allows councils to charge a fixed payment of £ 1.25 per person for airbnbs, hotels and pitches) and stay with hostes. Children are exempted from the prosecution of Young Levy, which means that if both parents bring their children a week to add £ 17.50 in their stay.
This money is stored by local authorities and should be used to maintain and develop Welsh language or the lasting growth of tourism economy, or improving infrastructure, facilities and services used by guests.
Frankly, An additional £ 1.25 to stay on a night at Wales is the star of the century. In the same way when you visit a free museum you have reprimanded some gratitude disgrace, it’s an investment in the area you have visited.
It is considered policy. The fee is refunded if you are a disabled person with a carer, a homeless person placed by the council or having to stay because of an emergency like a health issue or flooding. You don’t have to pay if you are there for more than 31 days (they don’t want to punish hotel residents).
I am not at a time to say that tourism is not an important industry for Cymru – it’s perfect. I didn’t even say it didn’t have challenges, although data suggests that bad weather is Our biggest.
If you spend some new hot weather and holiday holidays, salute your bad taste. If you don’t, you know you are truly accepted. Please go to Wales. We are glad to have you. But the tip tip of your host, and leave how you find it.
