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Original poster

Second home owner

208 replies

silversun · 12/04/2020 10:19

Gorgeous weather here in Devon and yesterday morning the second home owners across the road turned up.
I've reported them to the police via email 101 but I'm still so angry that they have put our small hamlet of mainly over 60's at risk just because they fancied a change of scenery- they should be ashamed of themselves!
Please talk me down from going over there this morning😡😡

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 13/04/2020 09:16

Why?

We want this lockdown over for all of us as soon as possible.

People breaking the rules means extra days at home.

It’s not difficult to understand is it?

Kortnee · 13/04/2020 09:24

It'd be ok if everyone moved to their second homes surely?

It didn't do any harm in Italy? Oh wait.....

HuntIdeas · 13/04/2020 09:26

@ NotAnotherUserNumber surely if you can afford a second home, then you can afford to sell your current residence and buy a house with a garden in London? Even if you have to move slightly further out?

NotAnotherUserNumber · 13/04/2020 09:27

@FOJN

I definitely didn’t mean to imply that people in the countryside lack empathy. I know some people will be well aware of the things I said, I just thought some others might not be. I should have made that clearer as I don’t mean to be insulting to anyone.

I also do realise that countryside living (and lockdown especially) won’t be idyllic for lots of people. I think I am just really envious at the moment as, like you mentioned, I think rural communities offer a better quality of life in general.

Also, to make it absolutely clear, I don’t think anyone in any circumstances has an excuse to ignore lockdown. If I did have a second home I would have gone there in February and self isolated, long before lockdown began. I definitely wouldn’t travel anywhere during lockdown and don’t agree with anyone doing this.

NotAnotherUserNumber · 13/04/2020 09:31

@HuntIdeas to be honest, I doubt we can afford a second home, but there are definitely a lot of rural homes that are a lot cheaper than than the cost of moving to a house or larger flat with a garden within London, which we definitely can’t afford (been looking and trying to do this for about 5 years now).

Sharkyfan · 13/04/2020 09:33

I recognise it’s probably not the case - but you just don’t know do you?
They could have an adult child who’s an nhs worker and it’s better for them to liver separately?

FOJN · 13/04/2020 09:37

NotAnotherUserNumber Sorry if I came across as annoyed and feeling insulted. I'm more frustrated by the misapprehension that all complaints about second home owners are because of a "hatred of townies" (I have never heard anyone where I live use the word townies) rather than irritation at people ignoring lockdown.

If you do ever move out of the city be prepared for things you won't have easy access to. I was horrified to find I couldn't buy a pint of milk at 10pm on a Sunday evening when I first moved but you get use to it and adapt and I wouldn't move back now. It's not for everyone but it's definitely a better quality of life for me.

I hope this lockdown ends sooner rather than later to make your life a little more tolerable. Take care of yourself.

AuntieMatter · 13/04/2020 09:39

YANBU for being annoyed and reporting. It is so frustrating that there are so many selfish dicks acting like this.

My parents have a lovely holiday home, with a garden. I could be there in the sunshine with my partner and kids. But no, we have been stuck in a flat for weeks. Because there's no way to guarantee that you won't spread or catch coronavirus when you travel. Also, we aren't dicks. Well, not in this respect!

NotAnotherUserNumber · 13/04/2020 09:43

@FOJN no need to apologise! I think we are all totally fed up of this lockdown and hope it ends as soon as possible!

OddBoots · 13/04/2020 09:47

I see a lot of talk of telling people not to go to their second homes but have not seen any local authority offering to discount/refund council tax for those properties. I don't own a second home and doubt I ever will but it must be irritating for those who do that they pay towards the local amenities to be blocked from accessing them when they have the most time and desire to do so.

Fluffydogdog · 13/04/2020 09:48

They shouldn’t have done it, but try not to let it wind you up. It won’t help anything. Reporting them is fine, but don’t go any further. When this is over, you don’t want to end up with neighbour wars.

We also have a second home, but won’t be going to it.

Although, to be honest, if they quarantined themselves for two weeks before they came, they won’t be bringing it with them. How do you know they didn’t do that?

toryandproud · 13/04/2020 09:48

You don't know anything about the circumstances of these people who have arrived, just let the authorities deal with it.

TBH I haven't read most of the replies as I got bored with left wing lunatics somehow trying to associate what happened here to Boris Johnson, lol

Fluffydogdog · 13/04/2020 09:49

Like oddboots said, they’re paying council tax etc etc to their house. It’s THEIRS and their community, too.

Kortnee · 13/04/2020 09:53

Second homes are entitled to a 50% council tax reduction. They don't pay full rates! But still, us bumpkins should just be grateful that they bring money to our area to stop us being poor (This was the message on another thread). Forelock properly tugged.

PrivacyOne · 13/04/2020 09:59

OddBoots what planet are you on?!?!? Grin. There is a quite pressing reason why the restrictions are in place - you know stay at home, save lives, protect the NHS! What are these local amenities you’re talking about? Nothing’s open. Surely, yes, people who own two homes contribute, for example, towards two lots of bin men but when they’re in one home they’re not putting rubbish out at the unoccupied one regardless of whether there’s a pandemic, are they?

FlockofGulls · 13/04/2020 10:05

Perhaps op they live in an untenable situation in their first home. You don't know really until you walk in their shoes

You know, I really doubt that anyone who can afford a second home in a Devon village would have an "untenable" situation at home. Lots of people are frustrated, cooped up, craving sea air, and the countryside. But we stay at home. It won't be forever.

I hope the police send them back to wherever they came from.

FlockofGulls · 13/04/2020 10:12

We have all moved to our home in Cornwall for lockdown

So @Theredjellybean did you move after the lockdown was announced? How would you defend this as "essential" travel? You're part of the problem, frankly, and no amount of "we support local businesses" patronising virtue-signalling makes a difference.

Stay at home.

bewilderedhedgehog · 13/04/2020 10:17

I don't have a second home, and am unlikely to have one. However I do enjoy going on holiday in the UK. I don't think I will again, however, as the vitriol towards people from other parts of the country is awful. I understand that people are afraid but in many rural areas, the economy is sustained by tourism - including people with second homes. They are part of your community. Having said all of that I do agree that everyone should be sticking to the rules and reducing the impact of the virus.

frillyfarmer · 13/04/2020 10:19

@OddBoots we have two holiday homes in north norfolk and have been offered tax grants on both (they are holiday lets so I'm sure that's why?).

I agree with the OP - our second home is in a beautiful village and probably preferable to where we are, but I love Norfolk far too much to jeopardise the health of the people who live and work there. I appreciate exactly why it is inappropriate for us to decamp there now, as much as I'd love to.

Boredbumhead · 13/04/2020 10:32

By this token then, people living in these rural idylls must agree not to avail themselves of the services if big city hospitals if the need arises for them to be transferred to better facilities as they would be taking them off city folk.

Can all of you that disk-like second home owners agree never to use city facilities or get transferred to more specialised care?

SuckingDieselFella · 13/04/2020 10:36

The Scottish health minister had to resign for going to her second home. That's an indication of how wrong it is.

But I wonder at the state of education in England if people can't tell the difference between private citizens going to private homes and the prime minister going to an official residence for convalescence.

Latteaday123 · 13/04/2020 10:44

It's really selfish. But.... You've done all you can now so just let it go. Don't let it drive you mad. There will always be people that think they are better than others.

Florencemattell · 13/04/2020 10:44

Wow I don’t even own one home but I don’t begrudge people second homes. Good for them.
If they went to their second home at the start of lockdown then fine. They pay council tax and services for both their homes.
Maybe someone could clarify about the council tax on second homes and how councils know who are second home owners. I expect local essential services like hospitals, police, schools are based on number of properties.
Travelling during lockdown is not correct but in some cases could be excusable. For example the couple whose daughter is a health worker.
The poster who said her family and young children are stuck in a city flat when they could be in her parents holiday home. Surely no one would begrudge children a garden at times like this. I certainly wouldn’t.
Please please be KIND people.

FOJN · 13/04/2020 10:57

Certain healthcare specialities are centralised for very good reason. In sparsely populated areas a specialist Consultant would not see enough patients to maintain their expertise and it would not be cost effective to provide all the lab, imaging and treatment options certain specialities require. Transplant, burns, spinal, paediatric oncology etc are all examples of specialist services which maybe centralised at larger hospitals because it serves patients better as is most cost effective.

I'm quite sure you don't think that a child with cancer in Cornwall should die because some people are offended at being asked to observe lockdown rules.

FOJN · 13/04/2020 11:02

I expect local essential services like hospitals, police, schools are based on number of properties.

If that were the case then tourist hotspots would be over resourced out of tourist season and there would be little rural crime, no pressure on hospital beds and plenty of school places, this is not what happens.