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 don't have a problem with this. People can spend their own money how they see fit. (No, I don't have a holiday home).

Also, isn't it right that a house in a desirable area should have a corresponding price tag?

There's many places I'd love to live, but I can't afford them, so don't live there.

YABU and jealous, even if you won't admit it.

Its their money to spend how they want. Some people buy multiple cars (bad for the environment) some people go on fancy holidays (bad for the environment) some people take up golf (bad for the soul). Up to them how they spend their own money.

When the holiday homes are in use they use the local facilities- bringing in money through tourism.

I agree with you, but my inlaws inherited a house in the UK rather than planning to buy one, and we have had many a cheap holiday there so it has been great for us! I can see why people do it if they can afford to, it's usually a sensible investment as well as a holiday place. Especially how the property market has been in the UK.

The obvious answer is we need to build more homes. If people object to that saying "it will ruin the area" then they need to restrict the uses made of the existing houses. It's appalling that people can say "I want two of these" yet still lodge protests about new houses being built.

Lack of affordable housing has massive impacts on society - it breaks up family links and mutual support, it makes for shortage of staff in our public services, it causes enormous stress and misery. Having a secure place to live isn't a luxury, it's an essential if people are to have what most of us consider a fully human life.

You’ll have loads of people disagreeing with you, however I do agree with you

This.

but I'm not sure it's any worse morally than being a landlord

Landlords are hated on MN as well, we they are close to being scum of the earth according to many.

I really can’t get worked up by how other people spend their money.

I think there should be more incentives for local first time buyers.

I.e. the discount on market value on new builds if you have a link to/live in the local area etc...

'As it stands holiday home owners turn communities into ghost towns'

None of the places where we stay in holiday cottages are remotely like ghost towns. We go all over the UK and all year round, you can barely get a seat in the cafes, pubs and restaurants and we usually have to book. Plus we are keen to use small local shops when we are away.

I really can’t get worked up by how other people spend their money

Neither can I usually but I'm sure I would if I was priced or bought out of my local area because of second homes.

t's appalling that people can say "I want two of these" yet still lodge protests about new houses being built.

a lot of protests are less about the houses per say, but more about the lack of infrastructure to go with - nothing is thought of properly, the traffic, the lack of schools, the lack of GP surgery.

If it already takes 3 weeks to get an appointment and A&E are at breaking point capacity, building new homes and bringing new families won't help the problem.

If people let the house, then it brings tourism and therefore money into the local area.

There should definitely be council tax on all second homes, whether let or not. There's probably also a good case for local tourist taxes in places with a lot of second homes- this would be paid by the renters and local councils could use it to help fund local services and/or affordable houses (with a permanent clause that the affordable homes can NEVER be used as a holiday let).

In lots of cities/countries there is a tourist tax of a couple of quid a night per adult- wouldn't add a lot to the cost of a holiday but could be a huge amount of income to some councils.

I own a holiday let. So shoot me.

I let it out for others to use, so contributing to the local economy as I recommend pubs, restaurants, services etc and to the British tourist industry generally. I pay a local management service to clean it and pay everyone from builders to window cleaners to keep it in tip-top condition. I pay council tax so contribute to public services.

Like someone mentioned upthread, I have no children and have always worked and supported myself, and the biggest drain I've been on society is education to the age of 19 and the occasional help from the NHS. Oh and a council flat in the dim and distant past.

I paid for it via an inheritance. As long as I'm not doing anything illegal, how I choose to spend my money is nobody else's business but my own.

People are so jealous of other people its ridiculous! Well done to all the people who have worked hard to afford to have the luxury of a second home. About time people stopped hammering people down for doing well and doing something that I image most people would do given the chance!

I agree.

I feel sorry for people in Cornwall. One of the poorest counties in England but so many locals have no chance of ever buying their own home because wealthy people buy them up as holiday homes.

*thus pushing up prices

There should definitely be council tax on all second homes, whether let or not.

THAT I absolutely agree with.

Well done to all the people who have worked hard to afford to have the luxury of a second home.

What about all those people who have worked hard and can't even afford a first home?

a lot of protests are less about the houses per say, but more about the lack of infrastructure to go with

Absolutely this.

I don't actually have a problem with building more homes but in my experience they very rarely improve the local community.

There are around 4 new developments ongoing in my town at the moment. It is utterly ridiculous considering that we are very well known for our poor traffic infrastructure. It already takes around 40 minutes just to get out of the town.

If the council made any effort to actually sort this issue before approving multiple new housing developments which bring with them even more cars on the road, I wouldn't object so heavily.

What about all those people who have worked hard and can't even afford a first home?

Yes. These are the people I feel most towards.

I live in a village with a very high proportion of holiday homes.

Locals are selling their houses for a load of cash to people who clearly just want them as second homes so that’s greed on the part of local people who shouldn’t then complain that there’s lots of homes lying empty and their kids can’t afford them.

Also lots of locals here now have more than one property that they will rent out in season so again the houses are lying empty for a great part of the year.

It’s quite a complicated situation here.

The numbers on that list probably don't add up to the amount of people on social housing waiting lists in many areas @MyOpinionIsValid. I bet there are far more than 4000 people waiting for suitable housing in Birmingham as an example. And why would people want to move miles from their support networks, especially when some of these people are very vulnerable. We can't afford to buy where we live, we could quite easily buy a decent property in many parts of Yorkshire, but a)our jobs aren't there and b) our families and friends aren't there. Yes they could visit and we could visit but as we get older and they have their own families the visits will dwindle and loneliness becomes a problem.

Well done to all the people who have worked hard to afford to have the luxury of a second home.

Ah yes because hard work = money and success. Not privelege, intelligence or circumstance. I do fuck all in my office job, literally fuck all, for 45k. I know someone who works 3 jobs and still can't afford a £10 train ticket into London.

Also love that anyone who criticises anything must be "jealous". What is this, Year 6?

The sort of income that can buy a holiday home in the NW is not the sort of home those on a lower income can purchase.
It is sustainable and reasonably priced rental properties that are needed in this country and the government should cap what landlords can charge.
I live in the stinky South and it is a mug's game here. A two bedroom flat ( and a small 2nd bedroom at that) is about 1100 pcm.

Yes, I agree OP. And my family own a second home. It was occupied for 80 days last year...