Consultation launched on hiking council tax for second homes and empty properties
A public consultation on increases to second home and empty property council tax premiums in Ceredigion has been launched.
Currently, there is a 25% extra charge on top of the normal level of council tax for second homes and long-term empty properties in the county but following changes introduced by the Welsh Government a premium of up to 300% can be imposed.
In Ceredigion, 33,856 properties are responsible for paying council tax. Of these, 2,289 (6.8%) are either second homes or long-term empty properties.
Most second homes are located around the coastal areas, with long-term empty properties generally being seen in more urban areas.
Areas with the highest proportion of second homes are New Quay at 27.2 % , followed by Llangrannog 17.1, Borth 14.1, Pontarfynach 11, Penbryn 9.6, Aberaeron 9.1, and Aberporth 8.4.
Long-term empty properties were 2.2% in Aberporth, 1.8 in Aberystwyth and 1.5 in Cardigan and Llandysul.
Welsh language
As part of the consultation the council is seeking responses on the future level for these council tax premiums, including what impacts any change could have on local communities, the Welsh language, tourism and the economy.
Councillor Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council, stressed “It is vitally important” to hear from the general public, on what would be the best approach for our council tax premiums.
“Addressing the issues of second homes, holiday homes ownership and the conversion of residential properties to holiday lets is a priority within the Council’s approved 2022-2027 Corporate Strategy,” he said.
This and increasing the supply and range of affordable housing in Ceredigion forms a key part of our Corporate Wellbeing Objective to create sustainable, green and well-connected communities. I would encourage everyone who lives and works in Ceredigion to complete our survey, so we can hear your thoughts on how to address the matter.”
The consultation will run for six weeks and will close on 29 October. Views can be submitted online here.
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Once again money is seen as the solution. The empty home situation in Ceredigion is not at the extent it is in North Wales and other parts of Britain like Cornwall and the Lake District. Thus I say that there is time to establish a licensing system through planning with limitation of the numbers of potential dwelling houses used as holiday lets and air B&B. Basing everything on money will merely allow rich people and corporations to carry on buying up properties with impunity much as businesses are buying farms to turn them into so-called Carbon capture areas to permit… Read more »
I think a property has to be free of furniture to be classified as empty, and if it were a merchant mariner’s main home I dare say they would only be responsible for the normal amount of council tax. There is a certain crudeness to the system of raising the council tax on holiday homes, and certainly there needs to be more done to use the planning system to restrict the numbers, but I see nothing wrong with councils raising revenue on holiday homes and holiday lets to spend on local needs, including the building of social housing. On the… Read more »