West Norfolk Council leader Terry Parish aims to double council tax for second home owners

More than 3,000 of our property owners could be hit by a doubled tax bill if plans to crack down on second homes go ahead.

And West Norfolk Council leader Terry Parish has voiced his approval of the proposals, which are subject to the passage of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill – currently going through the House of Lords.

If made law, this would hand local authorities the power to increase the amount of council tax charged on second homes – leading to some concerns nationally that this may damage local economies and tourism.

Our borough council produced a report on the possible changes last year, and officers are currently updating it. There are currently 3,031 properties that would be affected here – and if their rates are doubled, as Cllr Parish expects, this would rake in more than £6million.

However, a large chunk of this would go to Norfolk County Council, while the rest would be divided between the borough council, the police and crime commissioner, and town and parish councils.

“My thinking is that as and when we are given permission to do it, then I will seek to get permission to do it,” Cllr Parish told the Lynn News.

Any final decision will have to receive council and cabinet approval before being officially implemented.

However, Cllr Parish hopes to have that sorted by the time any legislation is approved so waiting time is minimised. Currently, second home owners must be given at least 12 months before any council tax hikes – meaning it could be mid-2025 before changes come into play.

The increases are expected to give the borough council around £600,000 in extra revenue.

“It’s not like increasing the tax on somebody’s private residence, which is penalising where they live. It’s not raising council tax for the vast number of people who live in West Norfolk,” Cllr Parish said.

“It’s raising council tax for people who have got a second home. A second home is a luxury, so you can call it a luxury tax if you like.

“People are always chasing taxes on things which aren’t necessary – well, second homes effectively aren’t necessary. They are a lifestyle choice.

“One could argue that there are too many second homes in some parts of the borough. Most of these are located in the northern part of the borough.”

He does admit that there are two sides to the story, with some people being able to justify owning a second home.

However, he referenced the current housing crisis and says second homes are not helping it at all – drawing attention to Neighbourhood Plans in Heacham where new properties on the market cannot be advertised as additional housing.

He added: “In some parts of the borough, it needs to be done more than others. The push for second homes is to the north of the borough rather than to the south.”

All of the Government’s political parties have backed the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, while there are also plans to tightening a loophole which allows property owners to avoid council tax by registering second homes as holiday lets.