Council tax on second homes in Bath is set to double as the local authority seeks to tackle the local housing shortage.
According to Bath and North East Somerset Council, the increase will come into force from April 2025 and will apply to furnished homes that are only periodically occupied.
Cabinet member for resources Cllr Mark Elliott said the ‘shortage of housing puts pressure on prices and means that ordinary local people are priced out of the housing market altogether. This change will encourage properties back on the market by discouraging second-home ownership.’
He added that the council tax increase will mean that second-home owners will contribute to local services at a time when ‘those services are under severe pressure.’
