300% Council tax hike in Wales - Is this the way of resolving the second home problem?

Title Control on Self-Catering Accommodation

The Welsh Government also move to change the rules and self-catering accommodation being liable for business rates rather than council tax rates from 2023.

At present, properties available to let for a minimum of 140 days in any 12 month period and not actually let for at least 70 days pay rates as opposed to Council Tax.

This will now change in that properties must be available to let for at least 252 days and actually let for at least 182 days in order to qualify.

Conclusion

Is this the most practical way of making homes affordable? The issue is the lack of new affordable houses available to buy in the local area which could be resolved by building more homes. A 300% increase, which is going to be discretionary for each local authority but nonetheless an option, may give the council more funding to build new homes but it is hard to envisage that it is going to be sustainable for anybody currently owning a second home in the area. Perhaps if resources were diverted into building more properties now it would solve the problem and until the Welsh Government do that it is hard to see that we will truly have a long term solution to the issue of local people being able to buy properties in the area they live.