Latest news with #BenMaguire
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Stop the AirBNB 'tax dodgers': Battle against wealthy second homeowners 'taking the p***' in holiday hotspots as MP tables law to ease housing crisis
'Cowboy' second homeowners in holiday hotspots are 'taking the p***' by registering their properties as holiday lets just to lower their tax bill, an MP warned today. Ben Maguire hit out at well-off owners of holiday homes in areas like his North Cornwall constituency as he tries to get his ' AirBNB Bill' through the Commons. The law would force second homeowners with properties in the countryside or coastal beauty spots to obtain seek planning permission before registering them as rentals. Mr Maguire said many were signing up to AirBNB and other websites to legally avoid Cornwall's Second Home Premium and exacerbating the area's already stark housing crisis. Since April councils have been able to levy the 100 per cent council tax surcharge, with Cornwall one of more than 150 authorities using it to try to keep homes available for local people. But by registering the properties as businesses instead owners pay rates that are lower than the premium and in some cases are available for rate relief - money back from the taxpayer. Ahead of the second reading of the Short-Term Lets (Planning permission) Bill on Friday Mr Maguire told MailOnline: 'We want to try to go after the people that do just take the p*** and it is probably just a second home and they are just getting around paying any tax by calling it a holiday let. 'At the same time the council is not getting any revenue and local people are not getting places to live either.' A Freedom of Information request to Cornwall Council by Mr Maguire, shared with MailOnline, revealed the area currently has 19,711 homes registered on AirBNB and other rental sites, but just 11,515 properties that are liable to pay the Second Home Premium. Under the council's current rules, to be liable for business rates a home has to be available for rent for 140 nights a year. But they only have to be successfully let for 70 nights - less than 20 per cent of of a 12-month period. Although perceived as an affluent holiday destination, Cornwall is one of the most impoverished parts of the UK. Low wages and sky-high house prices, especially in tourist areas, mean many of the locals are priced out of a home. The average Cornish house price in 2022 was £302,121, 10 times the average annual salary, and above the England-wide average of £297,524. At the same time around 29,000 homes were not being lived in year-round, according to the Cornwall Community Foundation. 'You go around places like Bude, which is a coastal town and you'll go down a residential street of very nice family homes, three or four bedrooms, not particularly with a sea view or anything like that ... you go around especially in the evening and all the lights will be off, you might have one house in that street that is occupied by a family,' Mr Maguire added. 'Meanwhile we have got 20,000 families across Cornwall on the housing waiting list, so housing stock is obviously being severely reduced by all of these holiday lets, which in my view and the view of many of my constituents, has had a detrimental impact on housing stock.' His private member's bill faces an uphill struggle to become law in a vote tomorrow. But it is the latest example of locals trying to fight back against an influx of homeowners in popular tourist areas. This week another Cornish MP, Andrew George, told the Commons that around £500million of taxpayers' money had been given out to Cornish firms in the form of small business rate relief in the past decade, saying: 'It would be far better to invest that money in desperately needed first homes for local families in desperate housing need, rather than give it to second home owners.' AirBNB has criticised the proposed change in the law, arguing that similar changes elsewhere, like Barcelona, have led to increased hotel prices by stifling competition. A spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'Calls to impose restrictions, red tape, and fees on hosts only protect hotel chains' profits at the expense of local families. 'The vast majority of hosts on Airbnb are everyday people renting their place casually to make a little extra money. 'A typical host in Cornwall shares just one home for fewer than three nights a month, while travel on Airbnb brings £222 million to the Cornish economy and helps keep over 3,500 people in jobs in the area, bringing the benefits of tourism to all.' Estate agents have also questioned whether the efforts to reduce second homes would help people get on the housing ladder, because they are often in areas with few amenities needed for everyday living. But Mr Maguire argued that the law would not prevent people from renting out their main family homes to make extra money, just those who rent out their second homes. He insisted he just wanted to find a 'sweet spot' that protected the tourism industry that is vital to Cornwall while helping locals find homes. The council would be free to designate areas where planning permission for a holiday let would not be required or would likely succeed, he said, but in other 'oversaturated' places like Rock and Padstow they could be controlled. 'This bill is designed to stop this cowboy letting, it is definitely not to try and impact on the Cornish tourist industry,' he said. 'I have had a few people come to me a bit nervous saying ''it's really the lifeblood of our economy''. I completely get that and support that and would not do anything to harm that. 'But I think it is a gentle measure to just start to rebalance some of the urgent housing issues that we have got.' Last month, John Brown, the chief executive of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, told the BBC the bill 'was not a silver bullet, but a start'. He said the county had a 'surplus'; of holiday lets, adding: 'It must sit alongside tougher regulation and a robust registration system for short-term lets. 'If it deters those looking to extract profit from Cornwall without putting anything back — good. 'If it helps restore housing stock for local people, even better. 'And if it ensures our hospitality and tourism sectors can find workers with secure housing, then it's a win for all of Cornwall.' Labour has said it plans to bring in a holiday let registration scheme, with minister Chris Bryant telling the Common in January that they planned to have it up and running this year. 'We are in discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, because we want to make sure that the scheme works and delivers what people want, which is a really strong local visitor economy, but we do not want to undermine local housing strategies,' he said.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
'Like being savaged by a dead sheep': JK Rowling brutally mocks Lib Dem MP who claims she's 'desperate for attention and relevance' with her trans stance
JK Rowling today hit back at a Liberal Democrat MP who claimed she's revealed a desperation for 'attention and relevance' by being outspoken on trans issues. The Harry Potter author mocked Ben Maguire, his party's shadow attorney general, over his comments in the House of Commons last night. Speaking in a debate to mark Pride Month, Mr Maguire singled out Rowling for criticism as he attacked those who had 'poisoned the public discourse'. 'As well as politicians, public figures desperate for attention and relevance such as JK Rowling have poisoned the public discourse with attacks on our trans community,' he told MPs. 'All under the false dichotomy that it is not possible to be a true feminist and protect women's rights without attacking and abusing the trans community. 'A phoney culture war which has left trans people fearful just to be themselves.' The MP for North Cornwall, added: 'The tone of this debate has been so un-British. It is much more like the US, where everything is dealt with in extreme absolutes.' But, after Mr Maguire's criticisms of JK Rowling were shared on social media, the author swiped it was 'like being savaged by a dead sheep'. 'In the immortal words of Dennis Healey [sic], it was like being savaged by a dead sheep,' Rowling posted on X/Twitter in reference to the former Labour chancellor. Rowling has seen more than 600 million copies of her Harry Potter books sold worldwide. In recent years, she has become known for regularly intervening on trans rights issues - which has included frequent clashes with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. In April, after a Supreme Court ruling that the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, Rowling posted a picture of herself holding a drink and puffing a cigar. She added the caption: 'I love it when a plan comes together.' Rowling's outspokenness on trans issues has sparked tensions with those stars who appeared in the Harry Potter film series. But, following the remarks by Mr Maguire, she was defended by Dr Zoe Hollowood, chair of Liberal Voice for Women - a group of Lib Dem members campaigning for women's sex-based rights. She said: 'To accuse J K Rowling of entering this debate to seek attention or relevance is ludicrous. 'Anyone who has followed this issue knows JK Rowling thought very carefully before entering this debate, knowing full well the vitriol and threats being levelled at women and their families for speaking out. 'But ultimately, she felt she could not stay silent whilst other women lost jobs for their view that sex is real and matters. 'She has received many rape and death threats for her willingness to speak out, for using her platform to raise the concerns of women/ 'And the fact she has refused to back down, cannot be cancelled, seems to have enraged certain people in particular.' She added: 'Voters will be left confused on where the Lib Dems stand on this issue with Ed Davey taking a moderate stance and other Lib Dem MPs using extreme trans talking points.'
Daily Mirror
11-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Seaside towns in chaos as new 'Airbnb tax' proposed as 22k people wait for homes
In what could be a huge blow for second homeowners, MP Ben Maguire has presented new legislation to parliament to crack down on council tax 'dodgers' in popular seaside areas A bold new law aiming to crack down on council tax 'dodgers' in several of the UK's most beloved seaside towns has been unveiled. The Short-term Lets (Planning Permission) Bill - often touted as the 'Airbnb bill' - was presented to parliament earlier this month (Tuesday, June 3) by Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, Ben Maguire. If passed, homeowners in the region will need formal planning permission before being able to change the status of a residential property to a short-term holiday let. It seeks to close a sneaky 'loophole' that has seen second homeowners convert their properties into Airbnb-style lets without needing approval. If a person rents out their second-home as a 'self-catering accommodation' - they can claim they are a small business, allowing them to dodge paying the second home council tax premium. To successfully qualify for business rates, a short-term let must have been available to rent for a minimum of 140 days in the prior year and must have actually been rented out for at least 70 days during that period. As long as this criteria is met, many homeowners can claim they're running a small business - even if they're primarily using the property as a second home for themselves. According to the BBC, Joh Brown, CEO of Cornwall Chamber Commerce, welcomed the bill - but warned it was not a 'silver bullet'. He argued there is currently a 'surplus' of Airbnb homes in Cornwall despite a staggering 22,000 locals being put on a waiting list for secure housing. "It must sit alongside tougher regulation and a robust registration system for short-term lets," he added. "If it deters those looking to extract profit from Cornwall without putting anything back — good. If it helps restore housing stock for local people, even better." John added that the bill could be a 'win for all of Cornwall' if it allowed hospitality and tourism workers to finally find secure housing. The news follows Cornwall Council's 2023 decision to charge second homeowners double the amount of council tax to alleviate the affordability crisis crippling the county. People who leave their properties empty and unfurnished for over a year will also face a 100 per cent premium on their bill. It is estimated the new rules will bring in a staggering £25 million for the council every year. "Enough is enough," MP Ben Maguire wrote on Facebook. "Too many local families are being priced out while homes sit empty or churned through weekly rentals. This Bill is about restoring fairness in our system and giving local people a better chance at owning their own home." Due to soaring demand, many Airbnb owners can get away with charging eye-watering prices to tourists - especially during the summer season. For example, a weekend's stay in a cottage in Padstow - a popular holiday resort - would you set you back a whopping £468. This is based on four guests sharing two bedrooms.
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The ‘Airbnb Bill' targeting second homeowners in this English region
North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire introduced the Short-term Lets (Planning Permission) Bill to parliament on Tuesday, aiming to regulate holiday lets and address council tax avoidance by second homeowners. The proposed ' Airbnb Bill' requires homeowners to obtain planning permission before converting residential properties into short-term holiday lets, closing a loophole that allows them to claim small business status and avoid council tax obligations. To qualify for business rates, a short-term let must be available to rent for at least 140 days and rented for a minimum of 70 days in the prior year. As of October 2023, Cornwall Council reported 13,140 second homes in the county and is now charging an additional 100 per cent council tax premium on second homes. Mr Maguire said the Bill aimed to restore fairness and give locals a better chance at owning homes.
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Second homeowners in Cornwall could be hit with ‘Airbnb Bill'
A Cornwall MP has proposed a law change for holiday lets in a crackdown on second homeowners 'dodging council tax '. The 'Short-term Lets (Planning Permission) Bill' was presented to parliament by Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall Ben Maguire on Tuesday (3 June). Under the proposal, coined the 'Airbnb Bill', homeowners would have to acquire formal planning permission before being able to change the status of a residential property to a short-term holiday let. The Bill seeks to close a damaging loophole that allows second homeowners to convert residential properties into short-term holiday lets without planning permission. Currently, homeowners who make their properties available to rent as self-catering accommodation can claim they are a small business, undermining council tax obligations. To qualify for business rates, a short-term let must have been available to rent for at least 140 days in the prior year and must have actually been rented for a minimum of 70 days during that same period. According to Cornwall Council, as of October 2023, there were 13,140 second homes in the county. From 1 April 2025, the council agreed to charge an additional 100 per cent council tax premium on second homes. The proposal follows a meeting between Cornish MPs and Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook earlier this year about the growing housing emergency in Cornwall's constituencies. MP Ben Maguire said in a post on Facebook: 'I have now officially presented my 'AirBnB Bill' to Parliament. It's a simple change with a big impact: requiring planning permission before homes can be turned into short-term holiday lets, to put a stop to the avoidance of paying council tax. 'Enough is enough. Too many local families are being priced out while homes sit empty or churned through weekly rentals. This Bill is about restoring fairness in our system and giving local people a better chance at owning their own home. 'I formally presented the Bill to the House of Commons - on behalf of each and every one of my constituents who is struggling to get onto the housing ladder, and fed up with second home owners dodging council tax.'
