Highland Council accused of favouring short-term lets over second home owners

A campaign group for second home owners has hit out at Highland Council for being “protective” of Short-Term Lets (STL) owners but “dismissive” of their own attempts to fight a 300 per cent council tax rise on their second properties.

Colin Taylor is a spokesperson for SHOFT (Second Home Owners For Fair Treatment) who has previously called on Highland Council to postpone the second homes tax increase that came into force in April.

“We’re just ordinary people, we’re certainly not on the wealthy scale by any stretch of the imagination,” he insisted previously.

The increase to tax bills was introduced by the councilin a bid to bring more properties onto the market and ease a Highland housing crisis.

But following two letters on the subject to Highland Council chief executive Derek Brown – one in April and one in early May – the group says “we have yet to receive a reply”.

On May 12 Highland Council launched a public consultation regarding proposed changes to policy for SLT owners resulting in a backlash operators but SHOFT claim they have not been granted the same consideration.

“Many second home owners are aghast that Highland Council have taken a considered approach to this (STL) initiative, something they failed to do when introducing a second home council tax of 300 per cent.” SHOFT said in a statement.

The group claims second home owners make a bigger contribution to the “council’s coffers” then STLs as they have always paid council tax on top of spending money in restaurants and shops when they visit.

SHOFT added: “It seems Highland Council are protective of short term lets – perhaps because some councillors are active in this area.”

Owners of second homes can appeal the council tax rise imposed on them through a “discretionary relief process”, but the group says this is “ill-thought out and open to bias”.

They added: “If that’s not enough, upon appeal we are subjected to a humiliating judgemental financial means test.

“It is a disgusting way to treat people who have done nothing but invest and contribute to the Highlands.”

The group urged the council to create a “sensible solution”.

Highland Council has been approached for comment.