Housing: Lettings

Lord Clark of Windermere Excerpts

Monday 26th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sassoon]

My Lords, I am not sure that any assessment of that has been done, but I shall find out and write afterwards.

[Lord Clark of Windermere]

My Lords, the Question refers to holiday lettings. Is the Minister aware that in many rural areas, especially national parks, where there is a great shortage of housing for local people and many workers’ cottages and former council houses are now used as holiday lets, every holiday let is a house removed from the market for local people?

[Lord Sassoon]

My Lords, the changes to the taxation arrangements for holiday lettings, on which the Government will consult during the summer, are intended to strike a balance between recognising the important contribution that holiday letting makes to the economy in rural areas and making sure that the tax reliefs available are not principally for wealthy owners of second homes. The changes, on which we will consult, will make sure that the taxation benefit available is more targeted than it was previously.