As reported in the Guardian Seaside towns of Scarborough and Whitby will be among first in England to double council tax under changes enabled through the levelling up bill currently going through parliament.

Councillors said the rise of Airbnb and other rental sites was “tearing the heart out of communities”, as they voted to introduce a 100% premium on owners of second homes in North Yorkshire.

In Whitby, about 28% of properties are holiday homes. Estate agents said that as many as three-quarters of new developments in the town were being sold as short-term lets or to investors.

The vote in Northallerton on Wednesday means North Yorkshire will become one of the first places in England to double council tax on second homes under the government’s levelling up bill, which is going through parliament.

Councils in Cornwall and other tourist hotspots are considering whether to introduce the same charge. In Wales, local authorities have been given powers to quadruple council tax bills on holiday homes.

Janet Jefferson, a North Yorkshire independent councillor, said she was dealing with “constant calls” from residents being evicted from properties that “have suddenly become holiday homes”.

“They are getting rid of people that have rented for years because they can make more money,” she said.

Jefferson said houses in her coastal ward were being turned into holiday homes “every day” without the need for planning permission, adding: “It’s affecting our communities. It’s breaking up our communities.”

Full article:

The Guardian - North Yorkshire to tackle rise in second homes with council tax premium