Second home owners reprimanded?

[Paulypaul]

Well, in our village we have a mixture of second home owners with different sized properties ranging from little 1 bed cottages to huge houses sat in a few acres.

So far, 4 second home owners have escaped London contrary to lockdown rules. One pair are in their design built eco home sat in 3 acres, the others are in small cottages with little or no gardens.

Someone round the corner had obviously called the Police about the apparent disregard for lockdown rules and low and behold the Police turned up yesterday.

So it looks like they're getting pro active and taking a hard line on these people who flout the rules/laws/guidelines, whatever they are.

Alas, it wasn't to be. Apparently they visited the smallest property and the occupants admitted that they had ignored the rules and did understand how serious it was. The Police then decided to advise them that they should make arrangements to leave the village within 7 days and return back to their primary residence in London.

The neighbour who lives in the cottage next door (not sure if this is the complainant) asked the Police if that was all they were doing and whether they were going to do the rounds in the village to the other 3 second homes, particularly the people in the big property who have had gardeners there and visitors etc? They replied saying that they were only acting on a complaint received about this property and didn't intend knocking on anyone else's door.

So, the people who have ignored the rules have been given the all clear to have their Easter weekend in the country and can go home next week.

And we wonder how this virus is able to spread? What's the point of laws if they're not enforced?

It's so contrary to what we are led to believe is the correct way to behave when certain fractions are allowed to continue irrespective of other people around them.

I know it's a well worn topic but I'm just shocked at how some behaviour is almost condoned by the powers to be....we've got no chance of getting out of lockdown at this rate!

 

[MisterB]

i am not so sure that telling them to go home in 7 days will actually achieve anything? they have already travelled, isnt making another journey is adding to the risk?

i dont know the answer to stop people travelling but perhaps sending them back again in 7 days doesnt appear to be it.

 

[Solwaybuggier]

But when Stanley (“I’ll go to the pub if I want to”) Johnson travels to his second home in Somerset, then appears on BBC to give us the benefit of his “wisdom“ without being taxed on breaking government guidelines,what can you expect?

 

[rangi]

Cornwall Council has a hot line to phone to report AirB&B, Holiday lets, and Second Homers.
Whle AirB&Bs and Holiday lets are closed down people told to leave and the licence withdrawn by the Council , the 2nd Homers are given a slap on the wrist.

The hot line is running all the holiday weekend and Inspectors are on call all weekend as well to police it.

 

[AXO66]

south Pembrokeshire’s Border!
thursday, over 1000 cars stopped.

(But still 100 of back lanes, some not yet on maps!! )

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[Ninjabob]

Your right about the travelling to their second home being irresponsible. As long as your not implying that having a second home is in someway wrong. Second home owners bring valuable cash and work to often deprived areas of the country that would end up even more run down than they currently are. I just detect you are equally upset about people having second homes. I do not have a second home (but I would like one).

 

[Captain Pants]

Your right about the travelling to their second home being irresponsible. As long as your not implying that having a second home is in someway wrong. Second home owners bring valuable cash and work to often deprived areas of the country that would end up even more run down than they currently are. I just detect you are equally upset about people having second homes. I do not have a second home (but I would like one).

Hmm, that’s an interesting debate....I have strong views but not relevant here. It seems there are limited powers for dealing with 2nd home owners, not as straightforward as serving closure notice on holiday accommodation or fines for irresponsible people. All that can be done it seems is to encourage them not to leave their primary residence. Those who’ve already deliberately ignored that advice aren’t going to be too easily persuaded otherwise. They have the privilege of a second home which they occupy for a fraction of the year and that entitles them to my supermarket delivery slot and my families place in the ventilator queue it seems.

 

[violet]

If they were doing this in France they would get a hefty fine. I feel quite sorry for the police in this crisis as they are trying to do the right thing in stopping travel and inessential journeys and going out but they have no good old fashioned 'clout' to do so with the way the relevant law has been worded. Restrictions seem clearer and tighter in some other countries.

 

[gus-lopez]

south Pembrokeshire’s Border!
thursday, over 1000 cars stopped.
View attachment 377170

(But still 100 of back lanes, some not yet on maps!! )

If they didn't have mask & gloves on they'd be talking to me throught the closed window.

Those who’ve already deliberately ignored that advice aren’t going to be too easily persuaded otherwise. They have the privilege of a second home which they occupy for a fraction of the year and that entitles them to my supermarket delivery slot and my families place in the ventilator queue it seems.

But if all these second homes where full all year the basic services you have would be woefully inadequate. Even more so than they are now. What is the answer ? I can see when this has settled down a bit there are going to be serious problems . You can't take the money on the one hand that they bring in /spend & on the other throw them out when it suits . Same as here, problems to come .

 

[Jim]

A Lot of second homeowners pay more council tax on the second home, more than locals pay. Before the lockdown I believe they should be free to choose which home to live in/isolate in.

After the lockdown, it's a different story.

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[Captain Pants]

A Lot of second homeowners pay more council tax on the second home, more than locals pay. Before the lockdown I believe they should be free to choose which home to live in/isolate in.

After the lockdown, it's a different story.

Quite a few of them register the property as a business because it’s let commercially and pay no Council Tax at all. Instead they claim business rate tax relief! This year quite a few of them are likely to attract Government grants as part of the business support measures.

 

[KiwiKampers]

Cornwall Council has a hot line to phone to report AirB&B, Holiday lets, and Second Homers.
Whle AirB&Bs and Holiday lets are closed down people told to leave and the licence withdrawn by the Council , the 2nd Homers are given a slap on the wrist.

The hot line is running all the holiday weekend and Inspectors are on call all weekend as well to police it.

Airbnb has been invaluable in NZ during this crisis. Thousands of international tourists have been unable to leave the country and are using Airbnb and private holiday homes as their lockdown bubble.

 

[9526]

I think the country turning against each other is a bit sad.

Whilst people are arriving unchecked from hotspots around the world, hospital staff are dying from a lack of PPE, and cyclists are overtaking people too close on country lanes.

People are calling the old bill because Mrs Smith has moved in at no36.

 

[Captain Pants]

People are calling the old bill because Mrs Smith has moved in at no36.

Most of us are doing our level best to follow the rules concerning lockdown because we’re concerned about our health and others. If Mrs Smith at no36 has selfishly chosen to ignore instructions that travelling to her 2nd home is not an essential journey, then she deserves the consequences. We’re all in this together, we have responsibilities to each other.

 

[9526]

Most of us are doing our level best to follow the rules concerning lockdown because we’re concerned about our health and others. If Mrs Smith at no36 has selfishly chosen to ignore instructions that travelling to her 2nd home is not an essential journey, then she deserves the consequences. We’re all in this together, we have responsibilities to each other.

Mrs Smith may decide the journey is essential to her, and her families health. There is no definition as to what is/not essential. Most of the 2nd home whingers are the jealous twitching curtain types that normally make a mountain out of every molehill. It would be interesting if Mrs Smith decided she wasn’t moving, as there is no provision whatsoever in the legislation to evict her.

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[westhamman]

It is the problem with making laws without thinking through them properly, make it illegal to travel to and stay in an address that is not your main home, if thats what you want to happen, with a large minimum fine. If that's not what you want then leave them alone.

 

[tonyidle]

It is the problem with making laws without thinking through them properly, make it illegal to travel to and stay in an address that is not your main home, if thats what you want to happen, with a large minimum fine. If that's not what you want then leave them alone.

It shouldn't need legislation to make people accept sensible Government advice.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

It is supposed to be for the non transmission of a virus by contact not what you buy or where you live, it is a political move and not about about public health. I could drive 500 miles in my van without being near any person to pass on a cold. We are being held in a place that officialdom KNOWS where we should be for another reason.

 

[Minxy]

There is no definition as to what is/not essential.

I think you'll find that there ARE definitions of what is/not essential ... that is unless you've been living under a rock for the past month!

 

[Minxy]

We are being held in a place that officialdom KNOWS where we should be for another reason.

Oooooo ... do tell ... I like a good conspiracy!

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[Paulypaul]

I dont have a problem with second home owners. I have a problem with people placing other people in jeopardy basically because they cannot think of anyone other than themselves.
I also have a problem with those types of people thinking they are above the law.

Lockdown is lockdown, and regardless of a person's stature it should be adhered to in the interest if everyones health and safety but these people have shown a total disregard for everything and are consumed by their own self importance and driven by self interest.

When its spouted on the tv and radio that we should all be proud of how we are all joining together in this fight then those people who have disregarded all of that should hold their heads in shame.

It's wrong and they should be held to account for their unlawful conduct, second home owners or not!

 

[9526]

I think you'll find that there ARE definitions of what is/not essential ... that is unless you've been living under a rock for the past month!

Leave my Rock out of this

The legislation says that a person must have a reasonable excuse to leave “The place they are living”, it does not say that you can’t live in your second home.

It even says you can move home

Maybe it would help if you read the legislation, instead of inventing your own

 

[Paulypaul]

What about this from the govt then?

 

[9526]

What about this from the govt then?

What about it? (Guidance and legislation are very different animals)

If I was holed up in my 2nd home for the safety of my family, I would demand the Police evicting me showed me

their authority to enter my home,
the section of the legislation I had breached, by living in my home.
the section of the legislation that gave them the authority to evict me.

Then I would give them a cheery wave as they disappeared down my drive.

There is a growing list of celebs that are currently living in their 2nd homes, none have been evicted, why do you think that is??

What if I decided to call my second home, my primary residence, then what?

I fully understand why remote places don’t want thousands of caravans/Motorhomes rocking up, but this whole second home thing is no more than a bunch of jealous bizzy bodies bumping their gums down at the W.I. (At a safe distance of course).

Im not advocating drifting between 2 homes at will, but once you’ve decided to isolate yourself in your luxury Devon/Cornwall/Toxteth residence is it really an issue?

 

[Shaders]

Your right about the travelling to their second home being irresponsible. As long as your not implying that having a second home is in someway wrong. Second home owners bring valuable cash and work to often deprived areas of the country that would end up even more run down than they currently are. I just detect you are equally upset about people having second homes. I do not have a second home (but I would like one).

They also out price the people who live in the towns and villages who then can not then afford to buy a property or live there because off it and have to move away to some were else cheaper losing village community as for bringing jobs to the town totally disagree I live Dartmouth in Devon they don't bring money to here don't pay council tax on their second homes either and split the community as well as they don't mix at all with any one wat brings money into this town is the people who come to visit come end off septenber all these second homes are empty and the town like a ghost town there also salcombe round corner all the locals couldnt afford to buy a house there and most ended up haveing to move else where and the few who still live there live in a deserted town after september as all the shops totally shut through the winter and it spelled the loss off a town community as many towns and villages in Devon and Cornwall have suffered badly because off second home owner properties, which is a fact so as said don't agree with that comment at all

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[grasscutter]

Living in a seaside village with a large percentage of second home owners I have no problem with people sitting out the virus in their second homes.
What I do get livid with is the way they then go back to their main residences during the week.
Certainly not classed as necessary travel.
Its beginning to cause friction on our village forum with people being likened to the Nazis for their actions in bringing these people to others attention.
The rules are actually very simple so why can‘t these rich people ( because that’s what they are) obey them.

 

[Ivory55]

Kate and will are in Norfolk, Charles is in balmoral so it must be perfectly ok.

 

[carolyn]

Having designated phone numbers to phone the police to report on neighbours disobeying rules gives me a very uncomfortable feeling. I do understand all the explanations behind it but I don’t like it at all, won’t happen to me as I have very few despite living in the town and we are very obedient.

 

[Peter and Julie]

Living in a seaside village with a large percentage of second home owners I have no problem with people sitting out the virus in their second homes.
What I do get livid with is the way they then go back to their main residences during the week.
Certainly not classed as necessary travel.
Its beginning to cause friction on our village forum with people being likened to the Nazis for their actions in bringing these people to others attention.
The rules are actually very simple so why can‘t these rich people ( because that’s what they are) obey them.

I'm not rich! But am living in my 3rd home in Bordeaux. (it's got wheels) Just good credit rating

 

[Ivory55]

Having designated phone numbers to phone the police to report on neighbours disobeying rules gives me a very uncomfortable feeling. I do understand all the explanations behind it but I don’t like it at all, won’t happen to me as I have very few despite living in the town and we are very obedient.

I know what you mean, nobody likes a grass

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