If you own a second home in Scotland you may want to read this...

[Scotsgirl001]

Scotland sets out plans to double council tax for second homes – Mortgage Strategy

“While second homes can bring benefits to local economies, we know they can also affect local housing stock, pushing up prices for those looking to buy or rent.
“That’s why we’re bringing in this legislation encouraging more housing to be used as homes to live in, seeking a fair contribution to local services from everyone.”

I get the idea, however I'd imagine the cost of increased council tax will just be passed onto the airbnb/holiday rental guest, so I cant see anyone rushing to sell their second home anytime soon.

I was definitely charged 200 % council tax on our second property for a couple of months before we let it.

Ridiculous. Council tax in the cities is already ridiculous.I pay around £400/month and still have to pay my garden bin and factor on top of this.

SNP will likely use this extra income for an independence campaign. The high streets are a mess, losing small businesses left/right and centre.

the solution is to encourage investment and build more houses. But the economy is so dire, 56% of the population are on some kind of benefits. The SNP need gone.

Will this eventually discourage tourist visiting Scotland? Holiday let's will have to increase their rental fees for tourists!

People are getting confused between second homes and short term lets.

The increase in council tax on second homes is on properties that are NOT rented out as holiday homes, those properties are subject to business rates.

This is about houses that are not people's main homes. For example the island house that families visit in the summer holidays, or the But n Ben if you're the Broons.

Short term lets, empty houses and second homes are all subject to separate taxation to each other.

If it’s let it’s then business rates and you can claim small business exemption so you don’t pay anything. I don’t have a second home and whilst I like to go on holiday too many second homes and holiday lets changes an area. Often reducing the useful businesses and increasing the cafes

It's fair enough but second home owners will just pass this cost on to those people they rent the property out to. So like everything else in the UK, the people who will pay are those of us who are not second, third, 4th, 5th 50th home owners. We pay for everything the government charges those who make money- they never accept reduced profits.
In terms of people who own additional properties, we buy them for them.
Just read the comments about BTL being exempt from it. That's even more disgraceful. There should be no exemption at all or place to hide in taxation systems.
As for those who own a but ' ben or an island holiday home - they affect the local economy and prevent local people owni g homes and there should be a pay back for that. If it means they sell them well that's up to them.

second home owners will just pass this cost on to those people they rent the property out to

But second homes are not rented out as holiday homes! The rise is council tax is for properties that are NOT rented out. There is separate licencing for short term lets and the legislation is clear on what the definition of a second home or a holiday let is.

I recognise that later on in my post.

We hoped to keep my parents old home as a second home as we plan to retire there. We wanted to use it ourselves and to let it occasionally to other family/friends. We were most definitely going to be charged double council tax and would have had to apply for a STL licence requiring planning permission and compliance with all the regulations - in the end it was simpler to let to a long-term basis but we have made very clear that we will be moving in ourselves in the next 18 -24 months.

It’s happened in Wales and I haven’t noticed an iota of difference in the tourist areas I frequent - the people who have second homes in areas like Pembrokeshire can afford it, as far as I can tell 🤷🏼‍♀️

I agree. The folk who can afford to have second homes in popular tourist areas probably won’t give two hoots about higher council tax charges.

Anything that can stop perfectly good houses for local people being tied up as holiday let's or second homes is good

There are things called “hotels.” Have you heard of them?

Looking at the news from Portugal, cracking down on AirBnB is coming everywhere, most likely. So “going abroad” won’t work for much longer either.

They may not technical use twice as many services personally. But one has to consider the knock on effect on the housing market, community and local services. These knock on effects may cost money to deal with or fix.

Why anyone wants a second home is beyond me. If you are rich, spend money visiting a bunch of different places in Scotland and elsewhere and stay in hotels and eat out and support the place you are visiting. My parents have some wealthy friends who have second homes. It’s pretty crap. They load up the car with everything they need in the big city where they live; then they drive down to their second home and stay there consuming it. They buy the odd pint of milk and stuff like that at the local shops, that’s about it. They moan about the fact they can’t get the local staff to mow the lawn and things, but their home ownership, multiplied across all the other people doing it, is making it impossible for young people or families with teenagers to buy homes there, what do they expect? The second home owners also clog the narrow rural roads up with their endless driving.

It would make me more inclined to visit Scotland as it makes it seem a fairer, more socially progressive place. I would also expect better service at a place like that.

I went to Cornwall last year on holiday and every business I came across was understaffed. The hotel owner where we stayed said that it was because local housing is too scarce and too expensive for workers on an average wage, so businesses are struggling to recruit.

Taxing second homes more feels like an obvious benefit.

I can see there are a lot of people against people owning second homes. I understand. However there are many reasons for people choosing to own another home and not all about greed and not all about rental opportunities.
I own a home which is my bolt hole. I live in my partners home elsewhere for the majority of the time but it doesn’t belong to me and never will for reasons I won’t go into. So I have place I can call mine, however, as far as the local Scottish council is concerned it’s considered a second home and therefore I now have to pay double council tax which as a pensioner I will struggle to find.
My ‘second home’ is in a remote village where there are a number of empty houses which the council have boarded up!
Ive received a letter showing how the tax is broken down and am really astonished that they have also doubled the water charge. Surely this portion of the tax could be adjusted instead of a blanket doubling of everything? As I’m obviously not using twice the water!

And when there are no holidaymakers the pubs and shops don't have enough business and some close down. Cleaners, maintenance people and laundry services don't have enough business to survive.

Legitimate holiday lets pay business rates, not council.tax. This is for second homes that are not being run as businesses.

How does this work?
How does the council know that the house is not you primary residence?
Is there a grace period - eg, if you are buying a new home but haven't sold your first one yet and may have a bridging loan for a few weeks/month?