Jump to content
DOSBODS
  • Welcome to DOSBODS

     

    DOSBODS is free of any advertising.

    Ads are annoying, and - increasingly - advertising companies limit free speech online. DOSBODS Forums are completely free to use. Please create a free account to be able to access all the features of the DOSBODS community. It only takes 20 seconds!

     

IGNORED

Rental nightmare in coastal Cornwall (and coastal Devon, IoW)


Frank Hovis

Recommended Posts

10 hours ago, Frank Hovis said:

Ghost towns - most second homes.  I can't find the original article but it's the usual suspects down here.

Five Cornish towns make list of 'ghost towns' taken over by second homes

Second homes and holiday lets are blamed for pricing out locals who are unable to find long-term affordable housing in the towns they grew up in

Five Cornish towns have made a list of places in the UK that are at risk of becoming ‘ghost towns’ due to an influx of second homes. Property website, Rightmove, has recently revealed the 20 towns across the UK where wealthy property owners have snapped up the most second homes.

Taking the number one spot is Salcombe, over the border in Devon, followed by Falmouth in second. St Ives, Newquay, Padstow and Bude are also all included on the list.

According to the most recent data shared by Cornwall Council, some areas in the county have up to 40% of properties being used as second homes. Despite government plans to give local authorities the power to double council tax on second and empty homes, many seem unconvinced that this will make much of a difference.

On a single street in St Ives, it has also been found that there are currently 31 holiday lets that are exempt from paying tax to the local authority as a result of tax loopholes. The gap between average incomes and average house prices in Cornwall is also greater than any other part of the UK, with many locals angered by the lack of affordable homes.

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/five-cornish-towns-make-list-7235020

That,..

Get planning in place and full business rates.

I have a feeling that these are coming and these article are just preloading the change.

0_UKS-SECOND-HOME-HOTSPOTS-MAP.jpg

Of those, Bmouht - OAP flats. Not an issue.

Weymouth is a surprise. Its v scruffy.

And Scarborough - nah. Unless they are counting lots of little old lady flats on South cliff.

  • Agree 1
  • Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

sleepwello'nights
12 hours ago, Frank Hovis said:

Property website, Rightmove, has recently revealed the 20 towns across the UK where wealthy property owners have snapped up the most second homes.

Taking the number one spot is Salcombe, over the border in Devon, followed by Falmouth in second. St Ives, Newquay, Padstow and Bude are also all included on the list.

 

I wonder if a deeper dive into the numbers is required. Bude is relatively close to where we now live. There are several holiday home sites near Bude. Each site has a large number of holiday homes. A quick internet search shows one site is 50 acres a second 30 acres, couldn't see how many homes on each. How would the statistics look if these were excluded. I presume they are counted as homes

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/k2vaas1v/cornwall_secondhomes_2021.pdf

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frank Hovis
2 minutes ago, sleepwello'nights said:

I wonder if a deeper dive into the numbers is required. Bude is relatively close to where we now live. There are several holiday home sites near Bude. Each site has a large number of holiday homes. A quick internet search shows one site is 50 acres a second 30 acres, couldn't see how many homes on each. How would the statistics look if these were excluded. I presume they are counted as homes

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/k2vaas1v/cornwall_secondhomes_2021.pdf

 

It's even more superficial than that as it's purchases in the last year.  There are south coast villages on the Roseland where I have walked through in winter and seen maybe one in thirty houses occupied.

It's toxic.  Villages have been utterly destroyed and turned into occasional holiday camps.

The only way to fix it is with absolutely swingeing taxes on the bastards until they sell up to somebody who actually wants the "property" as their home.

  • Agree 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Frank Hovis said:

It's toxic.  Villages have been utterly destroyed and turned into occasional holiday camps.

We either have planning laws or we don't. It seems that it is acceptable that large parts of villages and towns to be turned into commercial premises, with nothing people can do about it. Well that's fine, but I should be able to buy up a big paddock and stick a house on it.

It isn't just people flouting laws with impunity. People have gotten away with driving a coach and horses through our societal norms. While this happens the supposed gatekeepers of our society are busy joining in. 

  • Agree 6
  • Love / Hugz 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wight Flight
1 hour ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

It's even more superficial than that as it's purchases in the last year.  There are south coast villages on the Roseland where I have walked through in winter and seen maybe one in thirty houses occupied.

It's toxic.  Villages have been utterly destroyed and turned into occasional holiday camps.

The only way to fix it is with absolutely swingeing taxes on the bastards until they sell up to somebody who actually wants the "property" as their home.

It becomes intergenarational.

Seaview is 85% second homes. Many of those have been in the same family for years. Loads aren't used from one year to the next.

We already have different inheritance tax rules for property over cash. Perhaps there should be a different IT rate for second homes?

  • Informative 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, sleepwello'nights said:

I wonder if a deeper dive into the numbers is required. Bude is relatively close to where we now live. There are several holiday home sites near Bude. Each site has a large number of holiday homes. A quick internet search shows one site is 50 acres a second 30 acres, couldn't see how many homes on each. How would the statistics look if these were excluded. I presume they are counted as homes

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/k2vaas1v/cornwall_secondhomes_2021.pdf

I did wonder if Fiiey making the list was down to the caravan/mobile home sites.

Filey just isnt that big.

However there are vast fields of metal shacks.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, GTM said:

We either have planning laws or we don't. It seems that it is acceptable that large parts of villages and towns to be turned into commercial premises, with nothing people can do about it. Well that's fine, but I should be able to buy up a big paddock and stick a house on it.

It isn't just people flouting laws with impunity. People have gotten away with driving a coach and horses through our societal norms. While this happens the supposed gatekeepers of our society are busy joining in. 

The biggy for coastal/rural places is no so much the loss of the house but the loss of the public spending that comes with the house being occupied FT.

Public services are difficult and expensive to get to way away places as it is.

Each loss of family home deprives the area of ~60k/y in terms of public spend and local taxation, never mind local consumption.

Bar schooling, the actual spend on public services in holiday hotspots is probably higher - you only have to see the swarms of police and hospital use.

But there's no budget allocated, which is all based on FT residents.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One percent
5 minutes ago, spygirl said:

The biggy for coastal/rural places is no so much the loss of the house but the loss of the public spending that comes with the house being occupied FT.

Public services are difficult and expensive to get to way away places as it is.

Each loss of family home deprives the area of ~60k/y in terms of public spend and local taxation, never mind local consumption.

Bar schooling, the actual spend on public services in holiday hotspots is probably higher - you only have to see the swarms of police and hospital use.

But there's no budget allocated, which is all based on FT residents.

 

 

 

No way that 60 k figure is correct. Tourist town are notorious for having minimum wage, seasonal jobs.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, One percent said:

No way that 60 k figure is correct. Tourist town are notorious for having minimum wage, seasonal jobs.  

No, its public spend per head - ~8k/head, more for school kids and OAPs.

3 br - mam dad 2 kids = 32k on public spend alone.

Then another 2k c tax.

Then the money generated by having people living working and consuming locally.

Then the extra money for brought in by the people providing those services. Like a big pyramid of spend.

It really all does add up.

Im not too fussed about BnB and hotels - they pay tax.

Its FHL that are the most toxic.

In terms of spend you get a super market delivery  van- or they bring their food with them.

And then youve the disruption of 7 nights of BBQ and parties, plus 2-3 cars parking everywhere, per house.

 

 

 

 

  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

sleepwello'nights
12 hours ago, Frank Hovis said:

It's toxic.  Villages have been utterly destroyed and turned into occasional holiday camps.

 

Problems are evident there's no doubt. What is the cause may not be so straight forward. From my own personal perceptions I can give two examples. 

When we were looking for a house to buy in the west country we occassionally cam e across a property listed for sale that had restrictions on its use as a permanent home. The reason given was that if it was used as a permanent home then the local authority would have to make provison for the services that a family might need; schools, healthcare, etc.

As a teenager I spent a season working in a holiday resort. I met and spent time with others of my age who lived in the town. A number of them had just passed their "A" levels and were going on to university and others were looking to start their careers. Pretty much all of them were going to move away from the area to pursue their careers. None were looking at the major nearby large towns. Even places like Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth appealed. The nearest they looked was Bristol, most were attracted by the allure and sophistication of London. 

 

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frank Hovis
1 hour ago, sleepwello'nights said:

As a teenager I spent a season working in a holiday resort. I met and spent time with others of my age who lived in the town. A number of them had just passed their "A" levels and were going on to university and others were looking to start their careers. Pretty much all of them were going to move away from the area to pursue their careers. None were looking at the major nearby large towns. Even places like Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth appealed. The nearest they looked was Bristol, most were attracted by the allure and sophistication of London. 

 

That's always been the way if you're a graduate wanting a corporate career; this has become even more the case with increasing centralisation.  You can usually no longer work for a bank in your own town for example.

Yet the great majority, then, didn't go to uni and began work locally.

And of course you can return as I have.

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

sleepwello'nights
1 minute ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

That's always been the way if you're a graduate wanting a corporate career; this has become even more the case with increasing centralisation.  You can usually no longer work for a bank in your own town for example.

Yet the great majority, then, didn't go to uni and began work locally.

And of course you can return as I have.

In the meantime the village/town shrinks. A number i suspect will buy a holiday home in the area for when they want to visit the area they lived in as children. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frank Hovis
Just now, sleepwello'nights said:

In the meantime the village/town shrinks. A number i suspect will buy a holiday home in the area for when they want to visit the area they lived in as children. 

 

I think you're pushing that notion too far.

The number moving away for work has always been small and they generally return.  A friend and his family, he and his wife are both Cornish, are returning to Cornwall next year after over thirty years living up country.  Returning to Cornwall was always their plan.

Since this has always gone on there isn't a time gap as it's a continuous process of leave and return by each school / uni year.

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, spygirl said:

That,..

Get planning in place and full business rates.

I have a feeling that these are coming and these article are just preloading the change.

0_UKS-SECOND-HOME-HOTSPOTS-MAP.jpg

Of those, Bmouht - OAP flats. Not an issue.

Weymouth is a surprise. Its v scruffy.

And Scarborough - nah. Unless they are counting lots of little old lady flats on South cliff.

I live in Newquay nd the place is busy all year round.

  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frank Hovis
4 minutes ago, Xtal said:

 

Yay!  Go Gove!

Second home owners could be barred from renting them out on hotel websites such as Airbnb, it has been revealed.

The move is being considered as part of a crackdown on short-term lets driving up house prices to unaffordable levels in areas popular with tourists.

 

Bob Seely, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, said: 'We have got to find a way of protecting communities and we are in the market for sensible ideas that can help.

'Places like Devon, Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Lake District have lived too long with the problem of hollowed-out communities devoid of life apart from a few months of the year.

'What we need is creative ideas to solve some of these problems.'

  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

sleepwello'nights
7 minutes ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

'What we need is creative ideas to solve some of these problems.'

This reminds me of the hostility towards supermarkets when they started attracting shoppers in their droves. The convenience of being able to purchase all your food and groceries in one place at a lower cost than the alternative shops was unstoppable.

The attraction of airbnb is the lower cost in comparison to hotels and bed and breakfast and the more relaxed stays. Just like being at home somewhere different. What is the answer more restrictions on airbnb or relaxation of restrictions on hotels and bnbs?

I've no doubt some airbnbs are more expensive than some hotels, guest houses and bnbs. A more even level of regulation should bring more fairness; and give local authorities some revenue.

The rich have always been able to circumvent regulations, swapping homes when they wanted a change of scenery, there are home swaps available for us poorer folk, should they be regulated or banded as well?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wight Flight
27 minutes ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

Yay!  Go Gove!

Second home owners could be barred from renting them out on hotel websites such as Airbnb, it has been revealed.

The move is being considered as part of a crackdown on short-term lets driving up house prices to unaffordable levels in areas popular with tourists.

 

Bob Seely, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, said: 'We have got to find a way of protecting communities and we are in the market for sensible ideas that can help.

'Places like Devon, Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Lake District have lived too long with the problem of hollowed-out communities devoid of life apart from a few months of the year.

'What we need is creative ideas to solve some of these problems.'

The thing is they have half created this problem in the first place. Anyone with a property that doesn't meet the required EPC standards is switching to Air BnB.

  • Agree 1
  • Informative 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One percent
42 minutes ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

Yay!  Go Gove!

Second home owners could be barred from renting them out on hotel websites such as Airbnb, it has been revealed.

The move is being considered as part of a crackdown on short-term lets driving up house prices to unaffordable levels in areas popular with tourists.

 

Bob Seely, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, said: 'We have got to find a way of protecting communities and we are in the market for sensible ideas that can help.

'Places like Devon, Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Lake District have lived too long with the problem of hollowed-out communities devoid of life apart from a few months of the year.

'What we need is creative ideas to solve some of these problems.'

Saw this and was about to post it. It won’t solve anything as another way of advertising the holiday let will spring up. A lot is done through both farcebook and their own websites. Then there are the holiday cottage brokers of course. The need to get to the nub of it and make it taxable and extortionately expensive. 

  • Agree 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 23/06/2022 at 21:04, Frank Hovis said:

 

It's even more superficial than that as it's purchases in the last year.  There are south coast villages on the Roseland where I have walked through in winter and seen maybe one in thirty houses occupied.

It's toxic.  Villages have been utterly destroyed and turned into occasional holiday camps.

The only way to fix it is with absolutely swingeing taxes on the bastards until they sell up to somebody who actually wants the "property" as their home.

Friend lives in a tourist area. Only a few real neighbours. Lots of holiday lets. No local primary school. Very few facilities locally. 

  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frank Hovis
3 minutes ago, sarahbell said:

Friend lives in a tourist area. Only a few real neighbours. Lots of holiday lets. No local primary school. Very few facilities locally. 

 

Yes it is absolutely terrible.

It is worse if you have seen the change from a normal village with some tourist accommodation to hollowed out theme village.

  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

With a crooked smile
On 24/06/2022 at 13:40, One percent said:

The need to get to the nub of it and make it taxable and extortionately expensive. 

I think I read they are just talking about giving councils the opportunity to add 100% to properties council tax.

Council tax is about 2.2k a year in my street. 

House 2 doors down is a holiday let. In Feb it's 2k a week in August it's just over 3k a week. 

There's plenty of room to absorb those cost or add it on to the booking. They seem to have good levels of occupancy all year round I'm going to say approx 60% occupancy. 

  • Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One percent
41 minutes ago, With a crooked smile said:

I think I read they are just talking about giving councils the opportunity to add 100% to properties council tax.

Council tax is about 2.2k a year in my street. 

House 2 doors down is a holiday let. In Feb it's 2k a week in August it's just over 3k a week. 

There's plenty of room to absorb those cost or add it on to the booking. They seem to have good levels of occupancy all year round I'm going to say approx 60% occupancy. 

Agree, I don’t think it will make a difference to many. Anyhow, the holiday let down the road from you will probably be on business rates.   If , they will have got thousands in compo through lockdown.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, With a crooked smile said:

I think I read they are just talking about giving councils the opportunity to add 100% to properties council tax.

Council tax is about 2.2k a year in my street. 

House 2 doors down is a holiday let. In Feb it's 2k a week in August it's just over 3k a week. 

There's plenty of room to absorb those cost or add it on to the booking. They seem to have good levels of occupancy all year round I'm going to say approx 60% occupancy. 

Problem is the property is treated as a business so is subject to business rates.

And because the property is small it probably ends up at a valuation that falls below the point at which point it becomes payable  - hence neither business rates nor council tax is paid. 

  • Agree 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 25/06/2022 at 08:49, Frank Hovis said:

 

Yes it is absolutely terrible.

It is worse if you have seen the change from a normal village with some tourist accommodation to hollowed out theme village.

He's lived there since his aunt died and left him the house. Only full time for the last five years though. Would previously go for months on end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...