Second home owners are already offloading their properties following changes to how long they must be rented out for in order to avoid council tax. Adrian Stanley, from Derbyshire but with a second home in Pembroke, has just put his property on the market after 17 years of ownership because of changes by the Welsh Government.
Under current Welsh Government rules properties can be rented out for 70 days to qualify for small business relief and therefore avoid the council tax premium attached to second homes. But from next April, the threshold has been raised to 182 days, meaning many second home owners are facing the prospect of paying thousands of pounds more. And with many councils looking to clamp down on second homes in their areas, many are likely to introduce a 300% uplift to council tax for those who have more than one home.
Mr Stanley, who spends around a third of his time in Pembrokeshire and also lets out his property for 12 weeks every year through Powells in Saundersfoot, said: "Basically I don't think I've got any other option. The Welsh Government is being short sighted."
