UK - should we introduce a hefty property tax on empty houses?

Question

Encourage owners of slums to renovate, let, or sell, or be hit in the pocket.

Answer 1

no - don't we get taxed enough?!

however I do agree that there are so many empty houses which should be renovated rather than building new on green land.

Answer 2

Yes, but only in certain circumstances.

I live in Cornwall, one of the more desirable locations in the country due to low population density, low crime, beautiful scenery and a warmer climate.

In recent years- since the 80's, it has become an extremely popular destination for the rich south-easterners buying second homes, which are left empty most of the year. This has two major consequences- it reduces the number of properties for people locally to buy, rent or live in, and it pushes up the prices at rates vastly out of proportion with local wage increases. There is a severe shortage of affordable homes down here now, to the extent that all new planning applications for housing projects are now having to include an element of affordable housing before they are approved.

If we were to aim a high taxation at empty second homes, then less of the out-of-county folk would buy properties here, meaning the prices would stay lower for local people, and that more houses would be available. It cannot be argued that these people bring wealth into the local economy, as the council tax would be paid regardless who lived in the house, local or otherwise, and this is the only income they put into local government- they do not pay income tax in county, and most likely do the bulk of their shopping out of county. Any spending on shopping etc is only for a few weeks each year, so has negligible effect.

I do not see the need for anyone to have a second home purely for recreation, as most low to middle income people rent holiday property or stay in hotels or B&B's, which only consumes the resource for the time it is needed. I do not see why houses should cost ridiculously inflated sums that the people who need to live in them (who work & have family ties locally) cannot afford, whilst others who already have a comfortable home in the area where they live buy second or third homes on a whim, which stand empty. This is not even delving into the area of homelessness, which is a seperately ridiculous state of affairs when there are countless properties empty across the UK.

I would like to see a great big fat cat tax for great big wage earners, who have and take more than they need from this earth whilst others suffer. If that makes me a communist, or soft, or anything else you would care to put me down with, so be it. I am pretty fed up with the capitalist/ monetarist world, run by the greedy at the expense of the needy, and I think that a free market with competition is a colossal waste of our limited resources. Surely the future must involve sharing and co-operation, otherwise we are all doomed to a final war at some stage.

But I digress....

Take care.

Answer 3

Yes. And hefty taxes on all 2nd homes regardless whether empty or not.  

Answer 4

Yeah, one bloke has 3 giant 3 storey houses across the road completely empty and have been for about 6 years. There totally run down and there only purpose is a shelter for the many many rats that live there!

Answer 5

What about my father who is paying to keep his mother in a home, while her house is on the market. He is already out of pocket and will always be because of it. Why be so unfair on him?