Holiday homeowners trash talk new “bin tax” rules

Owners of holiday lets and second homes in Britain’s most priciest coastal town face new bin and litter rules.

Holiday let owners in Salcombe, Devon have been banned from using litter bins and bottle banks – unless they pay a £350-a-year ‘bin tax’ or hire private rubbish collectors.

A letter sent by South Hams District council warns owners of unregistered holiday lets that failure to register a holiday home with the council or an approved commercial collector is a criminal offence.

£350 fee for waste and recycling collections

The bin tax means guests staying in unregistered holiday accommodation could expose the owner to a £350 fixed-penalty notice if they drop litter in street bins or use council recycling sites.

In the letter, the council said it had the authority to charge a £350 fee for waste and recycling collections from holiday lets, regardless of the type or amount of waste produced.

The letter says: “These properties are not permitted to use the domestic service funded by the taxpayer. This includes recycling banks, litter bins and household recycling centres.”

Want to wring more money out of people

The crackdown on holiday let owners has angered some in the local area.

One second homeowner told the Mail on Sunday: “’It’s absurd. How on earth will they enforce it?

“Are council staff going to lurk around litter bins to check the rubbish registration status of someone chucking in a Mars Bar wrapper?

“I’ve owned a place in Salcombe for 20 years and this is the first I’ve heard of it. They just want to wring more money out of people already facing big increases in council tax or business rates.”

Places are being run for profit

However, some locals are pleased with the council’s actions.

Shop manager Pete Ford told the Daily Mail: “Local people are already doing the job for them by dobbing-in owners of second-home holiday lets who don’t follow the rules.

“I know a couple of places where this has happened. Residents spot renters slipping out with bags of rubbish and report it to the council.

“Next thing, you see a commercial waste bin appears outside the property.

Mr Ford added: “Of course, Salcombe needs second homes and visitors who rent them. But these places are being run for profit.

“Owners should pay to have commercial waste collected, like all businesses.”

A spokesperson for South Hams Council declined to say how the litter bin ban would work in practice.

The spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “Commercial waste produced by a short-term holiday let business should not be disposed of via these methods.

“Each business must have an arrangement in place to remove the waste and recycling from the property.”

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