Second homes in seaside towns are creating ghost towns. Slow market & staycations worsen the problem.
Many holiday rentals sell as second homes, with some buyers coming from the US and Asia. These homes often sit empty for months, with absolutely no tourists staying in them.
Katie Warren, a property buyer and town council member, says second homes lack economic value. She believes holiday lets bring money to places like Cornwall, but second homes used briefly offer little support. She fears streets of empty cottages and thinks this creates ghost towns, blaming the unintended consequences of tax laws.
Craig Fuller shares Warren’s worries, noting that many second-home buyers live abroad, and overseas buyers keep increasing despite higher taxes. Interest grows from Dubai and Singapore especially, and he thinks this trend will continue.
Cornwall faces big problems, with places like Cawsand and Padstow suffering. St Ives and Port Isaac also feel the impact, while Devon areas like Ilfracombe and Dartmouth struggle too. Abersoch in Wales has similar issues.
Cornwall faces a housing crisis. They have over 13,000 second homes now and 24,300 holiday lets registered in 2024. Yet, 27,000 families need social housing.
Jayne Kirkham talked about this in Parliament in October. Cornwall has 24,300 holiday lets, a thirty percent increase since 2019, and about 13,000 second homes, almost five percent of all housing. This is much higher than England’s average.
Kirkham said renters face tough choices; some rentals ban kids, pets, or those on benefits. Changes can help vulnerable people stay housed and could also prevent giving up treasured pets.