Second homes are furnished properties that you own for your personal use but are not your main residence.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act allows local authorities to charge a premium on second homes.
Cornwall Council has agreed to charge an additional 100% Council Tax premium on second homes from 1 April 2025.
See minutes of the meeting from January 17 2024
Exceptions to the second homes premium
The premium does not apply to:
- Annexes used as part of the main home
- Job related accommodation
- Occupied caravan pitches and boat moorings
Seasonal homes where year-round or permanent occupation is prohibited
A 12-month exception applies:
- where a condition regarding occupancy has been imposed (under part 3 of Town and Country Planning Act 1990) as part of the planning permission granted.
Restrictions covered are:
- preventing occupancy for a continuous period of at least 28 days in a one-year period; or
- the property cannot be occupied as someone's main home
- the property is only available for holiday use
Properties actively marketed for sale or let
A 12-month exception applies to:
- Properties that are actively marketed for sale or let at a reasonable price. Marketed for sale includes freehold properties and leasehold properties with a lease of 7 years or more.
- The 12-month exception starts from the date the property is first marketed for sale or let.
- If a property is sold of let during the 12-month period, the exception will end.
- No further exceptions will be granted unless a property has since been sold or a tenancy has been granted for a term of 6 months or more.
This exception also applies to properties following the grant or probate or letters of administration being issued.
We are currently reviewing all properties we have recorded as a second home. Do you need to tell us that a property is no longer being used as a second home and is now permanently occupied by you or someone else? If so, please complete our short online form. You will need your account reference number. You will find this on:
- your latest Council Tax bill
- the recent review letter sent to second home owners.
Property being used as a holiday let
Holiday lets are valued for Business Rates if:
- in the last 12 months the property has been available to let commercially for short periods of at least 140 nights; and
- the property will be available to let commercially for short periods of at least 140 nights in the next 12 months; and
- in the last 12 months the property has actually been let commercially as self-catering accommodation for short periods of 70 nights or more
Holiday lets will initially need to be charged Council Tax for at least 140 days. The property can only be assessed for Business Rates once all of the above criteria are met.
The Valuation Office Agency will decide whether your holiday let should be listed for Business Rates or Council Tax. This decision is not made by Cornwall Council.
If you meet the above criteria you can ask the Valuation Office Agency to move your holiday let from Council Tax to Business Rates.