Second home owner supports double council tax

Amanda and Howard Gruber have a second home in Cockermouth

A second home owner has said he is happy to pay twice as much council tax, after plans were announced to introduce a premium.

Cumberland Council proposes to use a new power to double the fee for second homes from next April.

Howard Gruber, from Manchester, said he was willing to pay the premium for his property in Cumbria, but questioned why the same rate would be charged even in areas where second homes were less of a problem.

The council hopes to raise about £4m from the move.

The power has been given to local authorities by government amid concerns local people are being priced out of the housing market in popular tourist destinations where there are many second homes and holiday lets.

Mr Gruber has owned a flat in Cockermouth with his wife Amanda for four and a half years, after they “fell in love with the place”.

Of the council’s proposal he said: “I can see that, within certain areas, what they are trying to achieve is reasonable, but it's a broad brush stroke.

“So, for example, in areas like mine in Cockermouth, the second home ownership isn't as great percentage-wise as, for example, in some villages in the Langdale Valley, which have been more than decimated and are almost like ghost towns.”

Don Thoburn said the plan was not a "silver bullet"

The council said there had been a consultation exercise and people's views were being considered.

"By differentiating between towns, we could also unintentionally affect demand for second homes in one town over another," a spokesperson said.

"Housing affordability affects many of our communities and this proposal is designed to provide around £4m which could be used to help tackle this issue."

Don Thoburn, the chairman of affordable housing organisation Above Derwent Community Land Trust, said the number of second homes in his area had “increased dramatically” in the last 20 years.

He said the council tax premium was the “right thing to do”, but that it was not a “silver bullet”, because the measure would not affect holiday lets which are not liable for council tax.