Latest / STR Unpacked / 182 Days. The Number That Decides If You're A Business.
Transcript
- Ben: Good morning and welcome to your short-term rental bulletin on the 6th of August. So, 182 days. Now, that number will mean something to you if you run a holiday-let property in Wales. And that number has probably cost you money. And as of last Friday, back on the table. So what's going on in Wales here? On the 31st of July, the Welsh Government opened up a 12-week consultation on how self-catering properties are classified for local tax. The rule, as it stands, has been live since April twenty twenty three. Available to let for two hundred and fifty two days a year and actually let for 182. Hit both and you're on non-domesticate rates, so you're a business. Miss either and you're a dwelling. So that means council tax plus whatever second home premium in your county applies. So that's I think a bit of a cliff edge, right? So one soft season, one refurbishment, one gap in the calendar, and the bill changes completely, right? So ministers now propose five exemptions for properties that can't reasonably be part of somebody's permanent home, part of a wider business, a large multi-unit size, properties tied up with planning restrictions, properties in the cartilage. Of the owner's own home and properties on the owner's farm. Welsh self-catering properties on non-domestic rates nearly trebled between 2013 and 2023, from about 4,000 to over 11,000. The finance minister, Ellen Jones, says she wants to quote, keep homes in the communities while giving tourism the support it needs to thrive. The sector welcomed it with a sting. Mid Wales Tourism and the Wales Tourism Alliance both backed this review this week, whilst making the point that for plenty of operators it comes too late. And this review is not a retreat. On Monday, the Highland Council Committee voted to recommend a rural short-term letter control area in Westeros. Across the UK, the direction on travel is still tighter. The consultation closes on the 23rd of October. and any change commences in April 2027. So realistically you've got 11 weeks to get your booking data and your local market constraints in front of the people writing the rule. Thank you for watching and I'll see you tomorrow.