Argyll and Bute council is set to double council tax on second homes and long-term empty properties in a bid to more efficiently utilise its stock.
This will take effect from 1 April 2024 if the proposals are approved by MSPs.
There are 3,235 second homes in the region, rising from 3,045 the year before, as well as around 1,300 properties that have sat empty long-term.
Robin Currie, council leader, said: “With the number of second homes on the rise in Argyll and Bute, this proposed change to council tax could have a significant impact on the housing emergency in our communities by encouraging owners of second homes to consider either selling or renting out their properties.
“A Joint Working Group on Council Tax and Local Government funding is currently reviewing all the feedback from the Scottish Government’s consultation and assessing the potential implications, but our view is that this move would be a major factor in helping to tackle the area’s housing crisis.”
