Holiday lettings boss speaks out against tax rule changes
A LANCASHIRE businessman campaigning for a repeal of the furnished holiday lettings tax rules has said the measure could lead to visitor spend in the region falling by more than £200m.
Under the changes outlined in this year’s Budget, owners of self-catering holiday accommodation will face a greater tax liability, which Geoff Cowley of Holiday Cottages Group argues could lead them to question the viability of their business.
The director of the Earby-based cottage holiday agency has met with Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans and Andrew Stephenson, the Conservative candidate for Pendle, to discuss a new parliamentary motion to repeal the Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) tax rules.
The early day motion was tabled following a campaign led by Mr Cowley and the Tourism Alliance.
According to the Tourism Alliance, if just 10% decide to cease trading as a result of the repeal of the FHL rules, UK tourism expenditure could decrease by almost £110m and more than 2,400 jobs could be lost.
Mr Cowley said: “This policy is ill thought out and penalises the wrong people. It’s not the large absentee second home owners, who may have been the Government’s target, that will be affected but the individual owners of successful small letting businesses and rural communities whose income is largely dependent on them. We therefore welcome Nigel’s support.”
