Editor

Once again we have an article quoting a Gwynedd councillor making blatantly misleading statements.

One would expect the housing leader of Gwynedd Council to have a better grasp of the regulatory framework but by once again parroting the claim that there is a ‘legal loophole’ where owners of second properties ‘flip’ them to register for business rates in order to avoid paying council tax, Cllr Craig ab Iago is misleading people.

Quoting the official regulations from HMRC: If your property is in Wales it will be rated as a selfcatering property and valued for business rates if it’s both: available to let for short periods that total 140 days or more per year; actually let for 70 days.

The regulations are quite clear.

If you own a property that is let according to these minimum periods you are not ‘exploiting a legal loophole’ by registering it for business rates, you are complying with HMRC regulations.

That local people in Gwynedd struggle to afford to buy property is not in denial, but the reasons have far more to do with the lack of employment opportunities than with the lack of property stock. Even if properties were to be banned from being sold to anyone but local residents, they would still be unable to afford to buy them. It is also disingenuous to throw statistics about “40 per cent of properties sold” being used as second homes without giving the context. The majority of ‘second homes’ in Gwynedd are either furnished holiday lets, (i.e. generating income for the area) or residential lets (providing rental accommodation for Gwynedd residents) and 70 per cent of all second properties are owned by Gwynedd residents.

I don’t expect Gwynedd Councillors to speak warmly about second properties as they have made their distaste for the tourist industry manifestly clear on many occasions, but I do expect them to understand what they are talking about or to cease making misleading statements.

David Brown Chairman, Barmouth Publicity Association

Have your say on the local issues affecting you - email [email protected] or join in the conversation on our Facebook page