Villagers in seaside ports across the UK have been urged to report wealthy neighbours suspected of owning second homes, as councils introduce a 100% council tax premium from April 1. The measure, approved by the government, could see bills rise by up to £10,000 a year for second home owners.
Mousehole in Cornwall, often called the 'second home capital', is one of the areas hardest hit. Locals say the village has become a ghost town, with most properties empty except for a few weeks in summer. Neil Brockman, 61, who was born and raised in Mousehole but now lives in Penzance due to high costs, said: 'Second homers will kill the village. We are losing our identity.'
Brockman, whose father died in the 1981 Penlee lifeboat disaster, supports the tax increase but believes it does not go far enough. 'I would triple it myself. We need local housing for local people,' he told MailOnline.
More than 150 councils across the country are implementing the tax hike, which aims to discourage second home ownership and free up housing for local residents. However, many locals argue that the measures are insufficient to reverse the trend of depopulation and loss of community spirit in seaside villages.
