MP’s delight at campaign win as Government announce end of second homes tax loophole

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has warmly welcomed the news that the Government are set to close the loophole which allows owners of second homes from paying no council tax by falsely claiming they are holiday lets.

In an announcement yesterday, the Treasury said it will now be tightening the rules so that second homeowners have to prove they have let properties out for at least 140 days per year.

Tim has been regularly raising this issue in Parliament and has met with several housing ministers over the past two years to make the case for the loophole to be closed.

Tim said: "I'm delighted that the Treasury have finally decided to close this crazy loophole and I want to pay tribute to everyone who has helped us campaign for this.

"This move is long overdue - I first raised this issue with Rishi Sunak in Parliament back when he was a junior housing minister - but it is very welcome all the same.

"Excessive second home ownership has badly hit so many communities here in the Lakes and so this just needs to be the first step in tackling this problem.

"I'll be keeping up the pressure for the UK government to follow the lead of the government in Wales in letting local councils significantly increase council tax on second homes."