Second homes have never been so popular. Before lockdown, just 3 per cent of Britons had a retreat in the countryside or the coast – somewhere to recharge the batteries.
Since then, a rush of successful city-dwellers have sought a spare pied a terre. Parts of Cornwall, where one in ten properties is a second home, are full to bursting over the summer months, as is the Lake District and yachting hotspots in Devon and Dorset.
It’s meant big business for celebrity chefs, bar owners and fashionable clothes chains. However, not everyone is delighted at having half of London and the Home Counties arrive as part-time neighbours. Locals blame the incomers for escalating property prices. The residents of harbour towns often get squeezed out to live on the outskirts. And young people who work all year round are unable to get on the housing ladder.
Legislation is going through in an attempt to claw back this situation. Second homeowners in England could face paying twice the amount of council tax from April 2025, while in Wales (as of April 2023) the maximum level at which local authorities can set council tax premiums for second homes has already increased to 300 per cent. Whether these increases will have the desired effect – to bring more first-time buyer homes to the market – is another matter. Critics maintain that these charges are mere ‘peanuts’ to the wealthy second homeowners.
We’ve spoken with locals, estate agents, second homeowners and councillors to reveal the UK’s most welcoming and unwelcoming towns and villages.
MOST UNWELCOMING TOWNS AND VILLAGES
Gwynedd, north-west Wales
The village of LLangian. Last April Gwynedd council applied a 150 per cent surcharge on council tax for second homes and research shows there was a swift response from homeowners
A joke in the 1970s went: ‘Come home to a real fire – buy a cottage in North Wales.’ It referred to a campaign against Welsh holiday homes that lasted 12 years and saw 228 arson attacks.
Perhaps relations between the locals and the incomers aren’t that bad today but local objections to wealthy second homeowners driving up prices are still burning brightly. Last April Gwynedd council applied a 150 per cent surcharge on council tax for second homes and research shows there was a swift response from homeowners. By last November 500 of the 8,000 second homes in the county had delisted. Of course, this may not be entirely due to the council tax hike.
This is Welsh-speaking Wales and estate agents will tell you, off the record, that a lot of newcomers fail to learn the language, find themselves ostracised and sell up. Prior to the election, Michael Gove planned to create a register of short-term holiday lets and Airbnb owners, forcing them to obtain planning permission from this summer. All of which should ring warning bells for potential buyers.
Coniston Village and Old Man of Coniston, The Lake District, Cumbria
Ill feeling towards second homeowners is at an all-time high in The Lake District. Run your eyes over local graffiti and soon you’ll notice stickers reading ‘F*** your second homes’, with a drawing of a house going up in flames. Cumbria police describe the stickers as ‘concerning’.
Ill feeling towards second homeowners is at an all-time high in The Lake District. Some local graffiti reads ‘F*** your second homes’, with a drawing of a house going up in flames
Andy Beeforth OBE, CEO of Cumbria Community Foundation, explained the back story to the locals’ gripes. ‘The significant increase in the number of holiday lets in the past few years has reduced the availability of housing for local people, as well as reducing the council tax revenue which pays for local services.’ Earlier this year the council implemented a council tax premium which means second homeowners will have to pay a 200 per cent council tax bill.
Whitby, Yorkshire
One in five properties in the town where Bram Stoker’s Dracula is set are second homes or holiday lets according to Scarborough Borough Council
Whitby’s natural beauty is the cause of its problems. The town attracts 150,000 visitors each year, many of whom fancy having a bolt-hole there. As a result, one in five properties in the town where Bram Stoker’s Dracula is set are second homes or holiday lets according to Scarborough Borough Council. Last year, house prices rose by 17 per cent and now locals complain that they cannot afford to buy in their hometown. Campaigner and local politician, Philip Trumper said in an interview with a local paper, ‘It’s becoming a theme park, basically. Whitby house prices are unaffordable to local people and they are having to leave the town and move away to work, making it unsustainable for the community.’
Another concerned resident Peter Mitchell, 65, said, ‘There is a lot of bad feeling in the town about the number of holiday homes. Parking is a problem and we have not got enough facilities to cover the growth. We have only one dentist, one doctor and a hospital.’
Bath, Somerset
The Palladian Pulteney Bridge and weir in the World Heritage city of Bath in Somerset
Wealthy people have been attracted to the Georgian splendour of Bath for centuries, buying up homes for use as weekend and country pied-à-terre. Apart from the glorious architecture, the city has excellent communications, with a fast train service into Paddington if the London office calls a meeting at short notice. Now the locals have had enough, blaming the incomers for the city’s housing woes.
‘The shortage of houses puts pressure on prices and means ordinary local people are priced out of the housing market altogether,’ says Mark Elliott, council cabinet member. At a full meeting of the council on the 30th November it was agreed that second homeowners will be hit with a 100 per cent council tax premium to take effect in April 2025. This will make an estimated £1.84 million more in council tax each year. ‘It will encourage properties back on the market by discouraging second home ownership,’ says Elliott. If you still want to buy a place in Bath there should be plenty on the market in the next year. Some 858 homes will be affected by the new measures – some of their owners are sure to want to sell up.
Northleach, the Cotswolds
Market Place, Northleach, Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
With its picture postcard villages of honey-coloured cottages, the Cotswolds is England’s fantasy version of The Hamptons. A millionaire’s paradise where you can bump into the Beckhams, Jeremy Clarkson or Kate Winslet walking the dog, we imagine life there must be idyllic. But trouble is brewing. There is an affordable housing shortage in the Cotswolds. Demand from second home owners, or those with city apartments, is so high that one in ten properties is often empty. Prices as a result are sky high! Disaffected young people are having to move to nearby Bristol, Swindon and even Birmingham to get a toe on the housing ladder. It is the wealthy incomers who get the blame for this.
Council tax on second homes could double in the coming year. That’s hardly likely to cause Posh and Becks sleepless nights but it will bring in extra revenue of around £3million. On the positive side, there is also an affordable loans scheme on the cards which is expected to deliver 20,000 new homes. The problem is that the definition of ‘affordable’ – 80 per cent of market value – is still rather expensive for most people.
St Mawes, Cornwall
Most Cornish people welcome visitors, mindful that they bring in an estimated £2billion a year
Cornwall is a land of contrasts. Inland you have the bleakly beautiful moors, while at the coast you have some of the best surfing beaches in Britain. Socially, most Cornish people welcome visitors, mindful that they bring in an estimated £2billion a year. But resentment is steadily building.
Rebecca Tidy, originally from London, bought a pretty cottage in St. Mawes three years ago. She soon heard villagers’ disparaging comments about her. Speaking to Fabulous magazine, she recalled one incident where a man allegedly told her to ‘f*** off back to London’ after she asked for oat milk in a café. He then went on to tell her that she was forcing up local house prices. Does the man have a point?
Rebecca Tidy with daughter Mabel
There are an estimated 13,500 second homes in Cornwall. A recent report by the Halifax has shown that homes by the sea have appreciated by more than £22,000 on average in the past year alone. Prices have soared by 50 per cent, or £95,599, over the past decade. Whether second homeowners can be blamed for the price hike is debatable. Many think the county should simply build more homes, which put a lid on prices – or at least help to. One thing is certain – do not bank on a warm welcome everywhere you go in Cornwall. One post on X about incomers, by the user called Cornwall is a Nation, called them ‘arrogant, entitled, ignorant, patronising, imperialistic morons’.
Whitstable, Kent
Whitstable has gained a reputation as a trendy weekend bolt-hole for Londoners. Pictured: Harbour Street
With its wonderful seafood and olde worlde pubs, Whitstable has gained a reputation as a trendy weekend bolt-hole for Londoners. But not everybody is delighted. Long-term residents complain about the noise at weekends from parties and bins being left out in the streets by revellers. At a meeting of Canterbury’s Green Party, Councillor Clare Turnbull explained: ‘What was a close-knit, really vibrant town is becoming hollowed out by holiday lets taking over peoples’ homes that in the past were used by young families.’ Others complained that the number of holiday lets means that shops and restaurants shut in winter so the community is losing out.
The locals are taking whatever measures they can to discourage second homeowners from letting out their properties. Like the rest of Kent these owners are to pay double council tax from next April. Some at the Green Party meeting suggested a voluntary code of practice, with owners signing up to promise high standards of neighbourliness. In the meantime, if you are a second homeowner do not expect to be welcomed with open arms into the community.
Burnham Market, North Norfolk
If you move to Burnham Market you will have to prove that it’s your principal residence or else they will be blocked from purchasing a property
On the face of it Burnham Market – sometimes known as Chelsea-on-Sea due to the influx of wealthy South West Londoners – is a country idyll. It has an award-winning restaurant, an art gallery and a delicatessen that has its own olive groves in Tuscany. Little wonder that celebrities of taste such as Stephen Fry and the late Beryl Bainbridge have made their homes here. However, scratch the surface of Burnham Market and you find a good deal of ill-feeling towards second homeowners.
If you move to Burnham Market you will have to prove that it’s your principal residence or else they will be blocked from purchasing a property. The aim is to cool prices – the average house price is £716,000. Not all the residents take a hard line on this but Dennis Clark, head of the parish council speaks for many when he says, ‘It’s time to get some balance in the village. We’ve no cricket team or football teams today because there are no young people. There are two reasons for that. The second homeowners have pushed up the price of houses and the furnished lets have made rents unaffordable.’
MOST WELCOMING TOWNS AND VILLAGES
Newport, Pembrokeshire
‘Newport is a prime example of a village with an abundance of small cottages on the market,’ says Carol Peett of West Wales Property Search
Pembrokeshire has a reputation for welcoming incomers, hence it being dubbed ‘little England beyond Wales’. There are very few villages without a good year-round community. Most, like Tenby, Saundersfoot, Solva and Newport depend on tourists for their income and the locals are happy to see them.
Indeed, there is considerable ill-feeling towards the politicians who have set rules requiring second homes to pay treble council tax . ‘Newport is a prime example of a village with an abundance of small cottages on the market,’ says Carol Peett of West Wales Property Search. ‘The locals would love to see these being snapped up as second homes so that the local economy can benefit. If you buy there you can be sure of a warm welcome.’
J.J. Morris is selling Millfield, Castle Street, Newport, a two-bedroom cottage. Price: £400,000
On the market: J.J. Morris is selling Millfield, Castle Street, Newport, a two-bedroom cottage. Price: £400,000.
Hexham, Northumberland
There are many factors that make for cordial relations between locals and incomers. ‘The key is to maintain a good balance between permanent residents and second homeowners,’ says Ryan Eve at Finest Properties. ‘There must also be sufficient affordable housing, good schools and a bustling high street, all of which guarantee a thriving community’. Eve believes the Northumberland market town of Hexham is a prime example of a town where locals and newbies mix well.
Judged the happiest place to live in Great Britain by Rightmove in 2021, Hexham is a town steeped in history, with an 800-year-old market square and a magnificent abbey. There are lots of community interest groups and it has plenty of green spaces, notably Sele Park and Tyne Green on the banks of the River Tyne. It is significant that the average house price in Hexham is £284,000, compared to the national average of £299,000, so second homeowners cannot be blamed for the locals being unable to get on the property ladder.
Finest Properties are selling Grade II Listed Cockshaw House, a 3-bedroom period house close to the centre of Hex-ham. Price: £575,000.
On the market: Finest Properties are selling Grade II Listed Cockshaw House, a 3-bedroom period house close to the centre of Hex-ham. Price: £575,000.
York
Although the 430 second homes in York are reported to be having a ‘negative’ influence on the housing market, the local people and the incomers get on famously. Indeed, York has been named the friendliest city in the UK with 42 per cent of the locals having a neighbour they could call for help if they lost a key, according to research by City University.
The residents of York have much to be thankful for. The schools are highly rated, with several graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. They have top-class theatres and museums and great rail connections to Edinburgh and London. There is a charm to the city’s narrow streets and unique architecture and with 350 pubs to choose from, finding somewhere to socialise is not a problem.
Churchill Estate Agents are selling a 3-bedroom townhouse near the centre of York. Price: £500,000
On the market: Churchill Estate Agents are selling a 3-bedroom townhouse near the centre of York. Price: £500,000.
Chipping Norton, Cotswolds
Second homeowners may be resented in some Cotswolds towns but in Chipping Norton (known as Chippy) they are positively welcomed. ‘The local people could not possibly support all the independent design shops, artisan food shops and gastro pubs that the wealthy second homeowners patronise,’ says Emma Barkes of Stacks Property Search. ‘The locals can enjoy them the year round.’
The incomers also put a lot back into the community. In Chippy, last month, a community hub called The Branch opened, offering a café and a space for various voluntary organisations offering advice and help to residents of West Oxfordshire. ‘It took over four years of fundraising and second homeowners provided much of this funding,’ says Barkes. ‘The locals are grateful for this.’ Chippy is a working Cotswold market town, renowned for its antique shops (one was owned by the late Ronnie Barker), lido and fine little theatre.
On the market: Chancellors are selling a three-bedroom, three-storey period cottage in Chipping Norton. Price: Offers in excess of £400,000.
Padstow, Cornwall
The locals in Padstow have Rick Stein to thank for the welcoming atmosphere in the harbour town. ‘The combination of a good town community steeped in history and a thriving holiday market results in a well-balanced success story all around,’ says Josephine Ashby of John Bray Estates. ‘Second homeowners are welcomed as being a fundamental part of that success.’
Even those who let their houses as Airbnbs and only use the town themselves for a month or so a year, experience no animosity. ‘If you use local tradesmen and cleaners and make an effort to visit in the off-season you’ll get along fine,’ says Paul Stewart who has run a holiday let in the town for the last ten years. Padstow has also tried to stem ill feelings towards out-of-town buyers by allowing 55 affordable homes to be built for local people by Poltair Homes.
Jackie Stanley is selling two-bedroomed Malt Cottage, near the harbour. Price: £485,000.
On the market: Jackie Stanley is selling two-bedroomed Malt Cottage, near the harbour. Price: £485,000.
Dartmouth and Newton Ferrers, Devon
Second homeowners are less than popular in the Devon yachting Mecca of Salcombe. Some 57 per cent of the properties here are second homes and the locals complain when the wealthy incomers build enormous mega mansions, ruining their view of the harbour. However, just along the coast it is a different story.
‘The people of Dartmouth, being a naval base, are used to newcomers and the locals are very welcoming,’ says Rupert Stephenson of Black Brick, a property search agency. ‘Newton Ferrers on the estuary of the River Yealm has two good pubs and a post office. It is a community of incomers and everyone gets along extremely well.’ As in all the South Hams district, second homeowners pay double council tax.
Luscombe Maye is selling a three-bedroom semi-detached house in the heart of Newton Ferrers. Price: £610,000
On the market: Luscombe Maye is selling a three-bedroom semi-detached house in the heart of Newton Ferrers. Price: £610,000.
Kingsdown, Kent
Located on the South Foreland Heritage Coast with a pretty pebbly beach, Kingsdown has every amenity an incomer could wish for. The village has an outstanding primary school, a deli, post office stores, three pubs, including The Zetland Arms, right on the beach, and a cliff-top golf course with views across to France. Socially, it has a happy, easy-going vibe.
‘There is a well-established full-time community who get on well with the second homeowners,’ says Rebecca Lead of Bright and Bright estate agents. ‘These incomers are attracted to the traditional seaside bungalows or the old fishermens’ cottages that they can pick up for under £400,000. Nobody resents them – they bring much needed income to the village.’
Bright and Bright is selling a two-bedroom semi-detached house on Upper Street, Kingsdown, Kent. Price: £385,000.
On the market: Bright and Bright is selling a two-bedroom semi-detached house on Upper Street, Kingsdown, Kent. Price: £385,000.
Winterton on Sea, East Norfolk coast
There is a kind of 1950s charm to Winterton. Instead of the razzle-dazzle of other beach resorts, visitors here are happy to listen to the skylarks and watch the seals in the bay
While there has been considerable controversy about the growing number of second homes in the more fashionable North Norfolk villages, further south along the coast it is a different story. ‘I would implore people to have a look at Winter-ton on Sea,’ says Jamie Jamieson of Jamieson Property Search. ‘With the sand and the beach on one side and the Norfolk Broads on the other it is one of the county’s best-kept secrets.’
There is a kind of 1950s charm to Winterton. Instead of the razzle-dazzle of other beach resorts, visitors here are happy to listen to the skylarks and watch the seals in the bay. Socially, you will get a warm welcome from Jeanne and Gino Farace who have only recently added a tea room to their post office stores and from Adrian and Lynne Collins in the fish bar. If you seek mental stimulation the locals run a range of classes in the village hall.
Bycraft Estate Agents are selling a 3-bedroom, modern end terrace house with direct access to the dunes. Price: £315,000.
On the market: Bycraft Estate Agents are selling a 3-bedroom, modern end terrace house with direct access to the dunes. Price: £315,000.
