The Scottish authorities has printed proposals to permit native authorities to double the council tax for second properties to “enhance the supply of housing”.
The governing Scottish Nationwide Celebration says, if permitted by parliament, the secondary laws would carry second properties according to long-term empty properties, which might already be topic to a 100% premium on the complete price of council tax.
There have been 24,287 second properties in Scotland final September, in accordance with official figures.
Second and long-term empty properties are topic to a default 50% low cost on council tax in Scotland.
Nonetheless, native authorities can fluctuate council tax expenses and the bulk already cost second home-owners the complete price of council tax, the utmost presently permitted, the SNP factors out.
The brand new measures, unveiled at present after public session earlier this yr, are anticipated to return into power subsequent April.
Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur says: “We would like everybody in Scotland to have an inexpensive dwelling that meets their wants.
“Whereas second properties can carry 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 hire.
“That’s why we’re bringing on this laws encouraging extra housing for use as properties to dwell in, searching for 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 occasion chief and First Minister Humza Yousaf in a speech firstly of the week as parliament returned from recess.
Yousaf pledged to carry ahead a housing invoice that may “introduce long-term hire controls and new tenant rights, and to determine new duties for the prevention of homelessness”.
He additionally dedicated to the federal government to take a position £750m to construct inexpensive properties, according to its goal of offering 110,000 low-cost properties by 2032.