MIKE HEDGES ASKS FIRT MINISTER TO CLOSE COUNCIL TAX LOOP
HOLE
Speaking after First Minister’s Questions, Mike Hedges said…
‘I think that some people can play the system to avoid paying the premium on
Council Tax for 2nd Homes. I asked that loopholes be closed. We must
make it as difficult as possible for people to avoid paying what Local
Authorities are entitled to levy on 2nd Homes.’
Mike Hedges AM - Will the
Welsh Government legislate to ensure that all properties built or adapted for
housing have to pay council tax based upon the band they're in and any second
home premium charged by the local authority, or that the business rate relief
for rented out properties is abolished? Because I think this is a loophole: it
has to be available for 140 days; it is quite easy to make something available
for 140 days, and get round it. It has to be let out for 70 days, whether
renting out to family counts, which a lot of people do, in that you collect
more rent, but they let family members use it, and therefore that builds up to
the 70 days. So, will the Government look at taking either of those two
actions, to ensure that local authorities get the money they deserve?16
First Minister
of Wales
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We've legislated to allow
local authorities to charge council tax premiums on second homes. As I said in
the answer earlier, it's the responsibility of the Valuation Office
Agency—independently of the Government—to determine the status of each property
in Wales. As I said, those second home owners who try to game the system could
find themselves facing very large backdated bills for council tax. But, again,
I refer to the answer I gave earlier, where a review is being conducted, to
examine the scale of the problem in different parts of Wales.
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