[Brighton] Council imposing double council tax on second homes in Brighton & Hove.

[zefarelly]

I’d also build a lot of social housing. This would be ideal for the national savings scheme you mention.

It might sound crazy, but imagine the state building housing for its populous, to enable them to thrive and contribute, to themselves, and the state . . . Nah, it's a silly idea, like providing healthcare and education for all To keep them fit and clever enough to do it.

It'll never catch on

 

[clapham_gull]

I do understand WHY the council tax is so low in London. The councils probably need more money than rural areas, but because of the population density up here it works out they can charge far far less.

However the disparities are funny even up here.

I moved from Lambeth to Wandsworth years ago. The band went up, the Council Tax went down

Before anyone suggests that's Labour run Council v a Tory run one, it's more complicated than that.

I imagine a chunk of Lambeth council tax goes into looking after Clapham Common.

Well I now live in Wandsworth NEARER THE COMMON that I did when I lived in Clapham and imagine I now pay less for it.

 

[Bodian]

My Avenue has 14 houses in it. I moved here in 2003, and 12 of those houses were lived in. We had a great community spirit, with nights out and street gatherings and so on.

We're now down to 6.

My 'neighbours' have been moaning about the similar increase in council tax. But as they are only here for around 5-6 weeks of the year and add little to the community life - I just bite my tongue, rather than saying 'it should be even higher'.

And don't start me off on the two AirBnBs that are businesses, but don't pay business rates, and expect their rubbish and recycling to be dealt with as though it were domestic, and hopefully with kind neighbours putting it out for them.....

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My Avenue has 14 houses in it. I moved here in 2003, and 12 of those houses were lived in. We had a great community spirit, with nights out and street gatherings and so on.

We're now down to 6.

My 'neighbours' have been moaning about the similar increase in council tax. But as they are only here for around 5-6 weeks of the year and add little to the community life - I just bite my tongue, rather than saying 'it should be even higher'.

And don't start me off on the two AirBnBs that are businesses, but don't pay business rates, and expect their rubbish and recycling to be dealt with as though it were domestic, and hopefully with kind neighbours putting it out for them.....

Are there any restrictions on AirBnB’s in Brighton?

 

[clapham_gull]

Of course, the problem housing is so many places (particularly up North) have such bad transport links.

I've been up there a lot recently and it surprises people when I tell them how long it takes to get from A to B.

That leads to more cars on the road.

Quite how anyone would have an issue with new towns designed around less car use ?

 

[Bodian]

Are there any restrictions on AirBnB’s in Brighton?

No idea - I'm in Cumbria, and there's no restrictions here. Difficult to impose.

 

[clapham_gull]

No idea - I'm in Cumbria, and there's no restrictions here. Difficult to impose.

In Amsterdam you are only allowed to rent your property out (with Air BnB) for a maximum of 30 nights a year. The city just imposed it in 2019.

 

[Bodian]

In Amsterdam you are only allowed to rent your property out (with Air BnB) for a maximum of 30 nights a year. The city just imposed it.

Bring it on.

 

[clapham_gull]

Bring it on.

According to Dutch regulations, you can only rent out your entire home in Amsterdam for a maximum of 30 nights per year, unless you have a specific permit that allows you to rent out your home for more nights, such as a short term stay license. The City of Amsterdam can request Airbnb to block the calendar for the rest of the year of listings that have reached the night limit.

Amsterdam - Airbnb Help Centre

If you're thinking about becoming an Airbnb Host, here's some information to help you understand the laws in your city.

www.airbnb.co.uk

 

[drew]

One of my scientifically unproven sweeping generalisations. Do you disagree?

And some stuff about self sufficiency, as a nation, and being able to use a road without craters and a load of cockwombles in the way.

I do disagree. Pop currently 67m. It has been more than 50m since 1950. Do you think the country was overpopulated then!!

Not sure we've ever been self sufficient as a nation, at least not the last 100yrs. As Napoleon said, we're a nation of shopkeepers aka traders.

 

[drew]

I’d also build a lot of social housing. This would be ideal for the national savings scheme you mention.

What should happen is that any developer, instead of building so called affordable housing, should build units which are then transferred to the ownership of the council to provide housing. That way you start to rebuild the bank of social housing.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

In Amsterdam you are only allowed to rent your property out (with Air BnB) for a maximum of 30 nights a year. The city just imposed it in 2019.

90 days in Berlin.

 

[clapham_gull]

To be fair with Air BnB, it's only really a problem where it's a problem.

Amsterdam particularly and know I've learnt Cumbria and Berlin.

I've just googled and there is a 90 day ruling in London.

. Build more houses.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Are there any restrictions on AirBnB’s in Brighton?

No not yet. A national registration scheme is being introduced and its likely that Councils will also be able to define areas in which planning permission will be needed for new (not existing) short-term holiday lets. Not good enough, in my opinion.

Mrs Cottager has just returned from Mallorca and there were signs up in her AirBnB apartment (she didn't book it) asking that guests don't tell anyone they are using AirBnB (they've been banned in apartments since 2017)! So any scheme to control them is dependent on effective enforcement.

 

[Chicken Run]

To be fair with Air BnB, it's only really a problem where it's a problem.

Amsterdam particularly and know I've learnt Cumbria and Berlin.

I've just googled and there is a 90 day ruling in London.

. Build more houses.

Birthrate in England and Wales drops to lowest level in two decades | Population | The Guardian

ONS figures for 2022 also show record proportion of babies whose mothers were born outside UK

amp.theguardian.com

If the birth rate in this country is falling year on year one might suggest why do we need more houses, the population isn’t growing? What we need is more affordable houses for the population now.

 

[Chicken Run]

What should happen is that any developer, instead of building so called affordable housing, should build units which are then transferred to the ownership of the council to provide housing. That way you start to rebuild the bank of social housing.

I agree

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

No not yet. A national registration scheme is being introduced and its likely that Councils will also be able to define areas in which planning permission will be needed for new (not existing) short-term holiday lets. Not good enough, in my opinion.

Mrs Cottager has just returned from Mallorca and there were signs up in her AirBnB apartment (she didn't book it) asking that guests don't tell anyone they are using AirBnB (they've been banned in apartments since 2017)! So any scheme to control them is dependent on effective enforcement.

This is how it’s enforced here:

You first need to register.


“Under the law, anyone renting out an unregistered holiday flat could be fined up to € 100,000. Platforms like Airbnb and Wimdu are required to hand over data to the authorities, and the city administration has hired some 30 new employees to track down illegal usage. On top of that, Berliners are being encouraged to report illegal holiday flats in their neighbourhood at www.berlin.de/zweckentfremdung. The Berlin-based Wimdu is fighting back and challenging the Zweckentfremdungsverbot in court as it clearly deals a massive blow to their business model, at least locally.”

 

[Chicken Run]

All the new high rise blocks of apartments springing up all over Brighton & Hove (Sackville Road, Newtown Road, Elder Place & Preston Road all over 300 units) are built on this scheme. And the rents are not affordable for people on an average wage. Yes a few are affordable in each block but no more than 10 percent. The council should be concerned by this imho

What is Build to Rent?

Build-to-rent homes are homes developed and built specifically for the rental market. Build-to-rent homes are not built to sell to homeowners.

www.propertyinvestmentsuk.co.uk

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Just wondered what you thought of this. I'm all in favour of filling empty homes that would otherwise lie empty. However, penalising people like myself that were sufficiently prudent to purchase the property that they live in, whilst retaining ownership of their original property ? I've never exploited a tenant financially or otherwise, and always respond immediately to any maintenance problems that should arise.

The more money that you take from a family, the less disposable income they have, which obviously has a negative impact upon their lives, especially if they have young children. I think my last tenant resided there for 12 years. The initial rent was way below the market value, and remained that way, although I must have increased the rent by 15% during that time. If I end up paying another £150 a month, I might as well sell the flat. It's more hassle than it's worth. I'm just wondering what the council achieves here ?

Not seen the details but the idea mirrors what some West Country councils do. The key phrase is 'second homes' - i.e. where someone owns a second property as a home so it sits idle for chuncks of time. It's not aimed at BTL market - those properties are not second homes.

 

[S.T.U cgull]

Not entirely sure but there have been estates built off Valebridge Road to the east of the railway line on the north side of the town. As for south of folders lane, I'm guessing it's an opportunity for developers to make money. That area is a little more affluent than others which will probably be reflected in the selling prices. It's also a bit rich for a lot of the occupants on the south side of Folders Lane to moan about it on the basis that pretty much every one of them has capitalised on their large gardens and built large additional houses. I do have some sympathy for a friend who lives along there who spent some time doing a great renovation of one property only to find that as soon as it was finished, the landowner behind them went and built an entire estate!!!

200 odd houses being built now to the south of Folders Lane between Keymer Road & the fishing lakes.. If you are the keymer road end then its a ‘quick’ commute onwards to London (1’15 door to door for me)

Lots of friends & people of my age-range (30s) have purchased in the Tile-Works estate & the croft (between kings way & the common) - far more so than in Bolnore / Hassocks developments by comparison.

Anyhow, to the original question. Is it fair? Probably not by dictionary definition - but is it morally correct when families in Brighton are pushed out of the city from a housing cost perspective? See two primary schools now at risk of closure due to funding costs / lack of pupils.. So IF the extra CT raised goes to creating more affordable housing or provision to keep these schools open - it feels justifiable.

Ironically it is that pricing position in Brighton that is causing prices to rise in Burgess Hill. Of my core group of friends 80% have had to relocate as prices are too expensive - several moving down the coast to Shoreham/Worthing etc. 2 bed Flat on this street which had always let within a week now been empty for 2 months - maybe the £1,300 a month odd asking figure had a say in that..