Brits hit by French tax on second homes

Brits with second homes in France will be hit by a 60% tax surcharge being imposed by French councils. Mayors in core holiday destinations across the channel have said that the property tax is part of a drive to lower property prices and prompt second homeowners to sell up. A total of 86,000 Britons have second homes in France, although properties in rural France will be unaffected. The move follows the decision by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo to adopt the second home charge in 2017. She said that it had prompted 5% of the city’s 126,000 second home owners to sell. But while the move by France’s other mayors will hit Brits hard, it is not aimed at them. It is aimed at the Parisians, who are accused of making housing unaffordable for locals. The Times (£) To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews