The Scottish authorities has printed proposals to permit native authorities to double the council tax for second houses to “enhance the supply of housing”.
The governing Scottish Nationwide Get together says, if authorized by parliament, the secondary laws would convey second houses consistent with long-term empty houses, which may already be topic to a 100% premium on the complete fee of council tax.
There have been 24,287 second houses in Scotland final September, in accordance with official figures.
Second and long-term empty houses are topic to a default 50% low cost on council tax in Scotland.
Nonetheless, native authorities can differ council tax prices and the bulk already cost second home-owners the complete fee of council tax, the utmost presently permitted, the SNP factors out.
The brand new measures, unveiled at the moment after public session earlier this yr, are anticipated to come back into power subsequent April.
Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur says: “We would like everybody in Scotland to have an reasonably priced dwelling that meets their wants.
“Whereas second houses can convey advantages to native economies, we all know they’ll additionally have an effect on native housing inventory, pushing up costs for these seeking to purchase or lease.
“That’s why we’re bringing on this laws encouraging extra housing for use as houses to stay in, in search of a good contribution to native providers from everybody.”
The transfer is a part of the SNP’s Programme for Authorities 2023 coverage agenda outlined by get together chief and First Minister Humza Yousaf in a speech at first of the week as parliament returned from recess.
Yousaf pledged to convey ahead a housing invoice that may “introduce long-term lease controls and new tenant rights, and to ascertain new duties for the prevention of homelessness”.
He additionally dedicated to the federal government to take a position £750m to construct reasonably priced houses, consistent with its goal of offering 110,000 low-cost houses by 2032.
