Holiday homeowners trash talk new “bin tax” rules

If these properties aren't registered as commercial premises/ holiday lets, then presumably they are paying Council Tax? Or have they somehow managed to slip through the net altogether? Personally I find it absurd that single residential properties should be charged business rates and commercial waste collection anyway. They should just pay Council Tax and be done with it. They don't generate any more or any different waste than any other domestic premises, in fact probably less, as they are not occupied full time, and the occupants cook less and don't indulge in the variety of other hobbies, DIY and consumerism undertaken by full time residents.

Actually, as they are being run for profit and are not a long term let (aka AST), then I think they should be charged. It will be tax deductable after all

Surely if they're paying Council Tax it includes rubbish collection?
However, if they're paying next to nothing in Business rates as they qualify for Small Business Rate Relief it's an absolute bargain to pay £350 a year for rubbish collection.

Reply to the comment left by Jo Westlake at 20/10/2023 - 11:46
I presume they are paying council tax, but airBNB and holiday lets are not residential properties, they are operated as a business so I can see the justification

I have some holiday let apartments opposite me, and the litter bin on the corner is constantly overflowing with their waste, often including food waste, which attracts rats.

I see no reason why those using their properties for holiday letting, and not paying Council Tax, shouldn't provide a bin and pay for commercial waste collection.

As someone said, the cost is tax deductible.

I was going to make my recently extended house available for holiday lets, but have decided it's too much hassle and suspect the taxation will change with Labour, so I've just sold for a healthy profit.

We had a flat which we had lived in for a short while, and wanted to keep for our old age. It was a lovely flat with great neighbours. We couldn't afford to keep it without it paying for itself, and no way were we surrendering it to a long term tenant, for reasons we all understand, so we listed it on Airbnb. I had heard it would be eligible for small business rates, which meant free, but I didn't think that was morally appropriate so I kept paying Council Tax. We still made a profit and I just used the bins provided for all the residents. The rubbish was just a normal amount of domestic waste and the guests also separated their recycling, which I then disposed of appropriately. Only when the Scottish government introduced the STL legislation did I find out that the so-called free business rates actually involved entering a separate contract with a private provider for rubbish disposal and another for water supply. I couldn't believe the absurdity of denying the council payment for their community services, while paying private contractors for usage of refuse and water which was actually far less than that generated by normal residents. It's nuts. I now even wonder if I was breaching the rules by trying to do what I thought was the more ethical thing. We've sold the flat now anyway, much to our regret and our neighbours', due to the increasingly hostile environment around both PRS and STL sectors. Seven of ten private rentals also sold, just waiting for last three tenants to decide to move on.

I think that there is a difference between holiday lets, which are a business and second homes, which are not and I can't see the justification for an extra 'tax' on the latter.

Reply to the comment left by David at 20/10/2023 - 16:33
The extra tax on second homes is to discourage people buying second homes which they only use for a few months in a year, this in turn can destroy local communities.

If you are a serious holiday let available at least 210 days each year and let for at least 105 days a year then you should be registered for business rates which unless you have several such properties then your business rates will be ZERO.

You then register with a company like Biffa, have a large wheelie bin which they empty every two weeks and this costs you about £60 per month. (cheaper to buy your own bin than rent one from Biffa).
The waste does not need sorting. Food waste, cans, bottles and cardboard all go in the same bin and gets sorted by Biffa.
If you were not registered for business rates then you would not have got the £25,000+ in Covid grants.

Even though we had a holiday let 20+ years ago, I've never understood why it is treated so favourably compared to long term letting. Both are businesses, with long term letting subject to greater taxation and regulation, higher costs, and lower profits.