In reply to Post #9
So Jon, would you sell your house at 60 - 70% of its market value to that deserving couple down the road who can't afford the full price?
I agree with Framey any home that is not used as a main residence should be charged extra, ideally an eye watering amount extra that might make owning a property that stands empty for 90% of the year financially much less attractive.
It might even go some way to check the price rises and could help support our local businesses and schools that are suffering through lack of population out of the holiday periods.
What makes it worse is we are losing green fields to housing estates to replace these empty houses. Rubber stamped as a matter of policy from above of course.
So Jon, would you sell your house at 60 - 70% of its market value to that deserving couple down the road who can't afford the full price?
I agree with Framey any home that is not used as a main residence should be charged extra, ideally an eye watering amount extra that might make owning a property that stands empty for 90% of the year financially much less attractive.
It might even go some way to check the price rises and could help support our local businesses and schools that are suffering through lack of population out of the holiday periods.
What makes it worse is we are losing green fields to housing estates to replace these empty houses. Rubber stamped as a matter of policy from above of course.
In reply to Post #16
London was sprawling green fields once upon a time. It's also awash with foreign investment/buy to let which prices the working class out of areas they work in.
If all that green space somehow generated tax revenue to keep your hospitals and schools going I could understand but...
London was sprawling green fields once upon a time. It's also awash with foreign investment/buy to let which prices the working class out of areas they work in.
If all that green space somehow generated tax revenue to keep your hospitals and schools going I could understand but...
I blame the humans
In reply to Post #17
Most of those green spaces lost used to feed us and even help keep our planet habitable.
Obviously too many people but we are not helping ourselves anyway.
Most of those green spaces lost used to feed us and even help keep our planet habitable.
Obviously too many people but we are not helping ourselves anyway.
In reply to Post #18
Quantity, mentality or those in government ?
Quantity, mentality or those in government ?
In reply to Post #20
Yes
All 3 unfortunately
Yes
All 3 unfortunately
In reply to Post #16
I don't know. Possibly.
But I know I wouldn't sell my mum's rat infested woodshed to a market analyst from Islington for 250k and then moan about how all the townies are ruining the community.
I don't know. Possibly.
But I know I wouldn't sell my mum's rat infested woodshed to a market analyst from Islington for 250k and then moan about how all the townies are ruining the community.
In reply to Post #17
Difference is Noj those London properties you're on about have people in them, often overcrowded. Spending in the local areas etc generating local and national income. This isn't the case with places like Cornwall/Lakes etc.
Empty properties generate nothing and force the altering of landscapes (for the latest serfs to commute from, too serve the wealthiest and live in) and obviously demographics.
Welcome to capitalism Kernow
Difference is Noj those London properties you're on about have people in them, often overcrowded. Spending in the local areas etc generating local and national income. This isn't the case with places like Cornwall/Lakes etc.
Empty properties generate nothing and force the altering of landscapes (for the latest serfs to commute from, too serve the wealthiest and live in) and obviously demographics.
Welcome to capitalism Kernow
In reply to Post #15
“ sold to local families at below market value”
That's the big problem, I'm sure we would all like to do the right thing in whatever we do but how many of us can afford, or even have the will to essentially give away a few years earnings to achieve it.
In any case for a “sell to locals only policy” to work it would need 100% participation, otherwise all it would do is to further increase prices for the reduced houses on the free market.
Difficult to blame the wealthy Surrey brigade or even the locals who sell as they are both trying to do the best for their families and future.
As you say governments should have acted but many in government have a vested interest in this. According to a planning officer there is a lot more connections and consequential pressure than first appears. We were discussing the loss of local farmland to houses when a huge number are in effect empty.
“ sold to local families at below market value”
That's the big problem, I'm sure we would all like to do the right thing in whatever we do but how many of us can afford, or even have the will to essentially give away a few years earnings to achieve it.
In any case for a “sell to locals only policy” to work it would need 100% participation, otherwise all it would do is to further increase prices for the reduced houses on the free market.
Difficult to blame the wealthy Surrey brigade or even the locals who sell as they are both trying to do the best for their families and future.
As you say governments should have acted but many in government have a vested interest in this. According to a planning officer there is a lot more connections and consequential pressure than first appears. We were discussing the loss of local farmland to houses when a huge number are in effect empty.
In reply to Post #23
I agree mate, that will often be the case. But some of those landlords are also the owners of these second/holiday homes; exploiting hard working families, damaging rural communities and lining their own pockets.
I agree mate, that will often be the case. But some of those landlords are also the owners of these second/holiday homes; exploiting hard working families, damaging rural communities and lining their own pockets.
In reply to Post #7
Aren't they already charged double and triple council tax in some parts of the West Country. Landlords have been battered by tax reform over the last 6 years with it now in full force.
Careful what you wish for, if there's no wealthy people around or it's not financially viable to work hard and make a decent living to the point where you can buy a second home, you force the people earning the money and paying the tax, providing work and therefore more tax income into submission and the country becomes even more of a ****show with everyone expecting everything handed to them on a platter. Listen to some of the ridiculous suggestions in this thread alone, people selling property at below market rate
Aren't they already charged double and triple council tax in some parts of the West Country. Landlords have been battered by tax reform over the last 6 years with it now in full force.
Careful what you wish for, if there's no wealthy people around or it's not financially viable to work hard and make a decent living to the point where you can buy a second home, you force the people earning the money and paying the tax, providing work and therefore more tax income into submission and the country becomes even more of a ****show with everyone expecting everything handed to them on a platter. Listen to some of the ridiculous suggestions in this thread alone, people selling property at below market rate