Kent second home owners to see council tax bills double
Thousands of homes across the county sit empty for much of the year, used mainly for weekend getaways and holiday breaks
Local authorities in every district of Kent have voted to increase council tax for people with second homes, meaning they will have to pay twice as much.
With more than 7,500 such properties in the county, the move is set to bolster the coffers of cash-strapped local authorities.
Councils hope the move will raise money, discourage second home ownership and free up properties amid a housing crisis.
So what exactly is a second home, and who will be forced to cough up?
Essentially it’s a furnished property that isn’t used as a primary residence or rented out.
It means the new charges will not apply to homes on the standard rental market or those let out as Airbnbs on a short-term basis.
Any home being actively marketed for sale or rent will also be exempt.
The new rules bolster existing powers on long-term empty homes, classified as substantially unfurnished and unoccupied, and Kent's councils estimate new rates for second homes and empty homes combined will raise an extra £3.77m a year.
Paula Higgins, founder and chief executive of the Homeowners Alliance, says implementing the charges is a “no-brainer” for councils short on cash, saying the move will net it an extra £540,800 a year.
She supports the premiums, but argues that for many who own second homes as a “lifestyle choice”, higher bills may not encourage them to sell up or rent out.
She even believes some owners could bypass the new rules by renting their properties out for 70 days a year, seeing them taxed as small businesses rather than private homes.
Previously, owners of homes empty for two years were charged double council tax, but this timeframe is being reduced to one year from next April.
Those with homes empty for five years will still pay three times as much, and four-fold for properties unoccupied for a decade or more.
Medway, with 341 second homes and 392 empty properties, will bag the most, at just over £1 million.
Other areas have more homes set to attract the higher rates, but presumably in lower council tax bands.
Gravesham has just 21 second homes and 148 unoccupied properties, so stands to rake in just £18,000 more – the lowest in Kent.