According to a recent report many people that have second homes in the country may have to choose between either living in the property or renting it out to tenants all year. The report claims that buyers looking to get a weekend or holiday home in the country may have to get planning permission, and if they are refused permission they may have to either move into the property permanently or ensure that there is a tenant in the property so that there is a permanent resident there.
The information comes from a government funded report. The report claims that this action is being considered because the growing number of people looking at acquiring a second home in the country are actually spoiling some of the UK’s rural beauty spots for the sake of a property that will remain empty for most of the year. Officials say that the home being empty for the best part of the year also hurts local businesses such as shops, restaurants, and pubs, because there are no permanent residents to make use of these businesses.
The report was put together by the Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor, who said that the government needs to take steps to crackdown on planning. The new regulations, if they come into force, would mean that those wanting to buy a country hotspot that is currently occupied full time for use as a holiday or weekend home would have to get planning permission to get the use of the property changed from a permanent property to a holiday property or second home.
However, the plans were attacked by Tory officials, with one spokesperson stating: ‘Requiring planning permission for second homes would be intrusive and difficult to implement. This is a recipe for negative equity. The last thing the housing market needs at the moment is more government red tape.’
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