The Scotsman today, once more on the side of the little but well-off man, bleating in his behalf. Well actually, ‘some of whom’ will face an extra charge of ‘nearly £16 000.’
We saw, in April 2026, the second-home owners defended by the Telegraph and the answer is the same (below).
In the Telegraph 7 April 2026, the above and:
They were not wrong. Back in September last year, they had:
Scotland plots uncapped council tax rises for second home owners – Green Party’s ‘pile on the costs’ proposal will be ‘gold standard’ for tackling homelessness. Councils in Scotland are poised to be granted powers to penalise second home owners with uncapped council tax premiums.
‘Plots’ not ‘plans?’
On the Second Homes Tax, I know, based on the evidence that matters, access to a decent home for local people on moderate incomes, it is a good thing and the more it has effect the better it will be.
From Minister for Housing correspondence and empty homes statistics: FOI release published on 16th January, we can see that in 2024, there were 65 144 empty second homes, down 7 % from 70 278 in 2023 and 43 538 properties empty for 6 months, down 7% from 46 217 in 2023.
This change is largely due to:
Powers enabling Councils in Scotland to apply either, a 50% Council Tax discount, the standard rate, or an up to 100% council tax premium (double the rate) on second homes came into force in April 2024. 30 local authorities have introduced the premium in some form as of September 2024.
Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400438694/
More, I say.
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Why just Edinburgh? The authorities throughout Scotland need to start taxing second / empty homes appropriately or forcing a compulsory sale if they remain empty for a given period ie more than 6 months.
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While we have a housing crisis , with families on Waiting Lists for years , no property should be sitting empty for most of the year .
Tax these property owners until they squeak or until they allow these desperately needed houses to be available for needy families .
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Some action at last, notably from a SNP run Midlothian Council, according to the Telegraph article. But will all those unionist coalition (to keep the SNP largest group out) councils comply? Let’s see what Edinburgh does.
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So the city landlords keep on gouging their tenants, estate agents their buyers and sellers, housing association execs pocket extreme salaries, second home owners become lettors or outright landlords or simply sell and buy overseas and obscenely wealthy people (£10s, £100s, even £1000s of millions) continue to own large areas of Scotland with all manner of tax dodges, forestry investments, shell companies, tax haven manoeuvres and sit back and laugh at feckless Scotland going for the easiest target again. And failing. Have a look at MSP expenses on top of their £74.5K basic salary (should be Scottish median salary) and some MSPs are making money out of the housing crisis https://www.parliament.scot/msps/members-expenses/travel-and-expenses-rates#topOfNav. Or Council craziness: https://www.theferret.scot/councils-spent-300m-firms-profiting-misery-homeless/ Don’t talk to me about the Scottish Government directorates! The genuine working net-taxpayers are being hollowed out…get out while you can!
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