To think that owning a second home to use as a holiday home is extremely selfish?

[benadrylcucumberpatch]

It would be a different story if there was a surplus of vacant properties . As it stands holiday home owners turn communities into ghost towns, inflate prices in desirable areas (many of which are rural with low wages) and displace people who would live in the property full time.

Aibu to think this is selfish and reprehensible? Why are such people not villified for taking more than they need in such an extreme way?

I live in a nice area with a lot of second homes. They provide an awful lot of employment. We have a holiday let cleaning business and we’re busy all year round. The trade men and maintenance teams are busy all year round. The holidayers spend money here all year round that local people don’t always have to spend. There are pro’s and cons.

Where would these homes for everyone be, Hero?

Supposing I would like to live in London. I am from the London area. Dh commutes to London. We can't afford to live in London or anywhere around it, unless we all crammed into a studio flat. I'm sure that judging by the fact that every train service into London is jam packed, there are hundreds of thousands like us. Do we all get a property where we want?

Someone surrendering their holiday cottage in Cornwall is not going to "free up" property in the right place.

A lot of people who are financially comfortable now were hard up when younger. We were very poor, we did work hard but never seemed to get anywhere :-)! That was for years. I often wondered what we did wrong. Other couples of our age, with kids, had far better lives in the material sense but never once did I resent them for it. I did wonder how they managed it (didn't ask of course), occasionally had a wistful feeling of, "Oh, I wish I could do that", but wasn't jealous of anyone who did. I liked people regardless of what they earned or owned.

Things changed for us eventually for which I am thankful but am never complacent. When I come across people in financial difficulties I will try to help them if I can, in a 'small' way and discreetly so nobody knows it's me. We've also helped our child quite a bit, he doesn't need 'bungs' from his dad and I now but still chews things over with us. However nobody gets brownie points for helping our own, it's what we're supposed to do as far as possible. They then go on to help their children if they have any, that's how it goes. If they don't they can bequeath everything to funds and causes that help people in need.

If I have an additional property, that's my business. It could actually be very useful in providing security for old age; there would be no need to claim additional help from the state thus leaving more money in the pot for those who do need it. I do not resent anyone receiving £X every month in benefits just because I don't qualify for them!

makingmyway
I wasn’t accusing people of material dishonesty, I was talking about how people don’t acknowledge the privilege they have in being able to achieve success.
I don’t want to make this personal but as an example I went to university at a time when only a small percentage of the population did, I got a full grant and was able to claim housing benefit and unemployment benefit in the holidays. That is a massive privilege over students today. So I had a head start over thousands of other people my age, and it’s right that I acknowledge that. It was given to me, I don’t do anything to get it other than be in the right place at the right time.
If you took from my previous post that people with second homes are crooks then I apologise for misleading you.

Herocomplex, following your views on selfinhess, can you totally honestly say that if you earned a new car because you were the x caller ringing the number line, you would genuinely say that you don't want it as you already have a car and someone else without a car needs it more 4han you, even though you'd have no way of insuring that the car would indeed go to someone who doesn't have one yet desperately needs one?

I don't know you, everything is possible but I somehow doubt you'd be one of those very very rare people.

I wasn’t accusing people of material dishonesty, I was talking about how people don’t acknowledge the privilege they have in being able to achieve success
Are you believing that all people who achieve success have done so thanks to privileges? All of them? That couldn't possibly be that those people were no different to you at some stage but made sacrifices that maybe you were not prepared to make to be where they are? Do you even ever bother to find out about the background of these people or does your bitterness makes you judgemental before knowing anything about them?

Life isn’t easy, and it’s not fair. It’s all about improvising, adapting and overcoming obstacles.

Everyone should be entitled to a equal start in life however no one should be entitled to equal results.

I don’t want to make this personal but as an example I went to university at a time when only a small percentage of the population did, I got a full grant and was able to claim housing benefit and unemployment benefit in the holidays. That is a massive privilege over students today

Or you could look at differently.

Current students, for the main part, work. They are gaining valuable experience and paying their own way in as much as they are able. If successful, they will pay back their student loans and if not, they still got the experience and the ‘leg up’ of education.

More people now go on to higher education so theoretically, more people have a shot at the professional and ‘better’ jobs with the higher salaries. That needed funding - the Government decided that the way to do that was via student loans but recognised that those from low income families would struggle to be topped up so still gives full funding to a minority. I do ‘t know if thresholds are fair, I don’t particularly think that the numbers going to uni nowadays are necessarily getting their money’s worth in the long term but I do think Your grant and benefits did nothing or very little at all to improve your life’s outcomes. More people than ever before have a shot at a better life today, surely?

*@CitadelsofScience *

Totally agree, it shouldn't be allowed.
WTAF?

Oh swing I think I’ve offended you, I’m not attacking you or anyone personally, and I think we’re arguing at cross purposes anyway. Everyone makes their own choices depending on their circumstances, and as I’ve said previously I wouldn’t deprive anyone of anything, I’m quite fond of nice things myself. I’d just like more people to have them.

Some of you need to read this and then perhaps you will understand what makes a good economy and why people owning holiday homes IMPROVES the economy not damages it.

"Economic growth is an increase in the production of goods and services over a specific period. To be most accurate, the measurement must remove the effects of inflation.

Economic growth creates more profit for businesses. As a result, stock prices rise. That gives companies capital to invest and hire more employees. As more jobs are created, incomes rise. Consumers have more money to buy additional products and services. Purchases drive higher economic growth. For this reason, all countries want positive economic growth. This makes economic growth the most watched economic indicator."

Economy works via hierarchy, it's not about saying "sod the poor" and that is a VERY lazy argument to a complex social issue.

There is also nothing wrong with concerning yourself with your own finances and minding your own business.

There have been lots of excellent responses on this thread that explain why the original post is a load of tosh: stop arguing for the sake of it, consider yourselves educated and move on.

Patronising bullshit.

Hero. And the choice is yours to give away those nice things you have to other people if you so choose and I can decide not too do that as I want to pass them on to our DC.

What’s being suggested by some on here though is that if I decide to keep them, they should be forcibly taken from me despite the fact that I’ve paid for them through my own hard work and sacrifices.

Having owned property abroad, a lot of people will actually buy run down cottages and do them up as holiday homes or even live in them. These are houses that would have otherwise been lost to the elements without intervention and this renovation of properties contributes to the local economy and brings these properties back into use. It doesn't force the locals out as a lot of people don't want to live in these rural areas.In places like London and Cornwall you have a point but not abroad.
As to this 100% tax law that has been mentioned,in France you pay two taxes so you do pay almost the same amount to own property out there just for holidays as you would to live there,how much depending upon your area. Cities are more expensive than a house with lots of land in the countryside.
I see your points for this country but the situation is entirely different abroad.
Don't vilify all holiday properties owners everywhere for the actions of the people of one country (for the most part) anyways.
I'm probably going to get flamed for this but there it is.

Totally agree. Would quite like one and can afford it but so immoral.

Someone who spends their whole working life on minimum wage with no money inherited etc would not be able to save for a deposit , as there simply would not be enough after rent bills etc. The numbers just do not add up. These low wage jobs are vital to the economy and society

You should be asking why is someone on NMW their whole life. Yes, these jobs are important, however, it's normal to move up with experience.
Example: start as a waitress on NMW in few years you can either move to a different place which pays more or start applying for supervisor positions, then in few years you again either move to a better paying company or go for a higher post. Meanwhile, someone who is starting up will move into the positions you left. And so on and so on.
While you are doing this, you can do distance study if you want to get better chances of higher paid employment. May it be doing your Alevels or access to HE or other qualifications. Many are covered by advanced learner loan www.gov.uk/government/publications/advanced-learner-loans-qualifications-catalogue others offer quite reasonable payment options. Though I admit that some are so expensive it made my eyes water. But then again, you will make that money back.

There is literally no reason for a person who can work to stay on NMW for the whole life.

Moomin. Perfect, you not owning one cancels out one of mine in that case 👍🏻😉

Dorset I cannot stress how much I would defend your right to do what you want with your income. And my own right to say what I like.

So vacant properties in the north east means people from the south west for example should uproot and move away from their family friends and communities..... So that rich second home owners can have holiday homes in the 'prettiest' areas?

it was all right for us to have to do it, if it what it takes then yes, why should anyone be any different.
I'd loved to have lived where I was born, fat chance as never afford it, so we moved to where we could afford, hardly rocket science.

Felicis it is you who needs educating.

NoMoreRepies Why shouldn’t someone buy another house? You would have the nanny state actually stopping people from buying another house? What’s next? Only one food shop a week? One car per household?

According to some dogmatists on here, not only second home ownership would be banned, but AirB&Bs and self-catering holiday lets (particularly those owned by non-locals).

So holidays in our own country would simply become much more expensive and out of reach of some, and be restricted to hotels, guest houses and a few B&Bs. Oh and perhaps caravans and camping, although that remains uncertain I guess because caravan sites take up a lot of space and a lot of caravanners bring stuff in cars with them.

There literally are a multitude of reasons for people to spend their entire lives on minimum wage. This assumption that everyone can aspire to something better if they just work hard enough makes me want to scream.

My sister has a second home, it is rented out by people who need seasonal work in the area. Gives her a second income, gives those that use a place to stay.

We own a second home, a small two bed flat near the beach.

It is near my 90 old mother who has dementia, but who still lives in sheltered housing and is not reliant on the state. It helps us support her.

We also holiday let it, which enables families to have a reasonable holiday by the sea. Our very typical guests come from the Midlands, stay a week, ask for use of a cot and high-chair and leave the flat in almost as clean as they found it. I suspect quite a few would not be able to afford a hotel.

The lettings provide employment for people within the lettings agency and businesses within the town. Overall the town is keen to maintain the availability of holiday properties.

I see this as an all win. It is nicer to have somewhere to stay when visiting my mother, and to be able to turn visits into a break -and not have to do the journey twice in a day. But the property gets wider and good use.