Why don’t the law changes on holiday homes?
Posted by Pathfinder-electron@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 28 comments
Like the title.
Housing is an issue.
Why can someone buy land, pay for water etc connected and put a holiday home there and live in it?
It would make it cheap and solve a lot of housing issues.
Altnabreac@reddit
Because we like to balance the mix between housing developments and green space.
Walking through the Highlands would not be the same if every few hundred metres was a static caravan, or people starting building houses on top of Munros.
We do need more housing and the planning process does hold it back a bit, but I don't think the solution to that is just saying people can put a house or caravan wherever they like.
Not to mention that the land is owned by someone so that landowner would ordinarily object to it.
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
I wasn’t saying this.
I buy land for 20k, buy electricity and water supply, buy a holiday home, put on the land. Half price compared to buying or building a house. The problem is not wanting or the possibility, I am asking why the law prohibits this from happening.
Altnabreac@reddit
Yes but if you buy a bit of land with a mountain on it, there's a public interest in not allowing people to just build a house on top of it.
We need to preserve the natural environment while also building out housing.
The law tries to do this with planning legislation.
It can be argued that planning legislation in the UK can be overly restrictive but in terms of protecting the natural environment I don't think it is that far off.
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
Yeah I agree and see the point of this, then what about holiday parks and homes and the 11 month rule?
Neither_Process_7847@reddit
That's because those are businesses - someone setting up one as a "holiday cottage" but actually living there would be trying to pay business tax rates on a domestic property that should pay the relevant rates instead.
Altnabreac@reddit
This seems like a separate issue.
The 11 month rule doesn't do anything to support buying a plot of land, connecting to the grid, and building a house.
It deals with things like taxes and selective licensing.
Anony_mouse202@reddit
Because it’s a free country, we don’t live in the Soviet Union, people are allowed to own things.
No it wouldn’t, it’s a drop in the ocean and a distraction from the real problem which is a complete and utter lack of housebuilding over the last few decades, caused by our god awful planning system that is hostile to building things.
Neither_Process_7847@reddit
Plus they already can buy land and put a home on it - just with planning permission...not sure what OP is thinking of.
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
I corrected can to be can’t. Why bring such attitude?
sconebore@reddit
Do you mean a holiday home like a static caravan?
It would be much easier to begin to solve the problem by bringing some of the AirBnBs and second homes that are sat empty half the year (at least) back into the housing stock.
Neither_Process_7847@reddit
A "second home" tax would help solve so many many issues, and I say this as someone who loves staying in a good holiday cottage.
ActionBirbie@reddit
This would be a massive, massive gateway to exploiting the poor. Can you imagine what landlords would do with such a law change?
Weakening laws that help protect those at the lower end of the socio economic spectrum is a recipe for disaster.
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
Also what would it do when someone could just buy one ? Putting together 30-50k is much easier than 100k+
Frequent-Contact-645@reddit
OP been smashing that communion wine, on today the holiest of all the holy days
ukbot-nicolabot@reddit
A top level comment (one that is not a reply) should be a good faith and genuine attempt to answer the question
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
Serious replies only.
Icy_Mixture1482@reddit
If you use correct grammar in your post, you might get more cromulent replies.
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
If I flag it as serious replies, the rules mean serious replies only. I corrected the spelling mistake.
getoutmywayatonce@reddit
Cromulent. Love it, that’s going straight in my vocab
clickyclicky456@reddit
Your question is confused and confusing. Did you mean "why can't" or "why can"? And what do you mean by holiday home - this just means a home that someone owns and lets out for short term rentals for holiday makers to stay in, so by definition you couldn't live in it yourself or it wouldn't be a holiday home any more. Are you referring to some sort of static caravan or even a mobile caravan?
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
Corrected sorry
vague-eros@reddit
Better but still unclear. What do you mean by a "holiday home"? A demountable/prefab thing? Because nothing's stopping anyone from doing that.
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
Static caravan or holiday lodge on separately purchased land for permanent owner occupation requires planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as material change of use from agricultural or non-residential land. Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 mandates a site licence for any land used for caravan habitation; holiday-spec units fail residential standards and trigger enforcement.
dbxp@reddit
That doesn't stop you from living there, you just have to apply for planning permission
Pockysocks@reddit
Wouldn't really solve the issue since it would take up a fair amount of land per home which is already the issue with the propensity for low density development.
Would help the housing problem is abolishing the antiquated discretionary planning system and adopt modern zonal planning for housing development.
Veenkoira00@reddit
The country may be "free" but it's not "free for all". We do have rules like having to apply for planning permission (that can be turned down) – you cannot just put up habitations wherever you like. If you hope that you could, you'll be disappointed.
The housing crisis needs a bit more than a some wild private enterprise. We never reversed Mrs.T's Gatling gun levelling of the affordable housing stock.
Pathfinder-electron@reddit (OP)
Thanks, this is the first constructive reply which actually provides some information.
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