Revelations that the owners of three local occupancy homes had been unlawfully using them as self-catering holiday lets for a number of years has resulted in a victory for taxpayers.
Last October, the Keswick Reminder disclosed that three properties — Mulberry House, Cranberry House and Blueberry House — at Bridge Court off Main Street had been put on the market with sale particulars stating: “This property has a local occupancy restriction and is being sold with no onward chain.”
But all the properties had rave reviews on TripAdvisor — the world’s largest travel review platform.
Local occupancy clauses are placed on residential properties in Keswick by the Lake District National Park Authority.
They are mainly used to prevent properties being used as a second or holiday home and to maintain a resident population.
After the story appeared, the paper was contacted by readers who were concerned that the owners of the properties, who did not wish to speak to the Reminder, may have received a £25,000 COVID-19 business support grant from the Government.
In response to the pandemic, the Government announced there would be support for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in the form of two grant funding schemes, one of which was the business support grant.
Central government would fully reimburse local authorities that pay grants to eligible businesses.
The Reminder contacted Allerdale Borough Council to see if the owners had received the £25,000 grant but the local authority said it could not discuss individual cases.
However, reader Hugh Price made contact with Councillor Jim Lister, an executive member in the council’s finance and legal department, who confirmed that the £25,000 that the couple, who own the three houses, received in April 2020, has now been fully repaid to the council.
It has also emerged that following the article in the Reminder, the owners have removed the three houses from the business rates register and put them back on the council tax list.
In an email exchange with Mr Lister, Mr Price also asked why the council voluntarily gives a five per cent council tax discount to wealthy second home owners when many other councils give zero discount.
Mr Lister replied to say that the council was currently looking into this matter
