Map shows the area of Kent where there are more second homes than the rest of the county

The number of second homes in Kent has risen over the course of the last 12 months, as they make up more than one in every 33 homes in one part of the county. There are a total of 10,124 second homes in our county, 573 more than there were in 2023.

Second homes are properties that are unlived in, but are fully furnished. They can include holiday lets like AirBnBs, as well as “buy-to-leave” properties, which are purchased as investments that are left unoccupied in the expectation that their value will rise.

Unsurprisingly, there are more second homes in Thanet, which is home to popular seaside towns of of Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate, than in any other local authority in Kent. The area has rocketed in popularity in recent years, with its seaside towns topping best places to visit in UK polls, and Broadstairs has not only been named the county's best seaside town but also the coolest place to live.

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Thanet has a total of 2,092 second homes within its borders. That’s up by 170 (8.8%) compared to 2023 and means that one in every 33 dwellings is classed as a second home.

Dover has 1,406 second homes (up by 7.0% from 2023) which works out as one in every 40 in the area. Canterbury has 1,636 second homes (up by 11.0%) which works out as one in every 44, Folkestone and Hythe has 1,139 (down by 0.8%) which works out as one in every 47, and Swale has 1,348 (down by 4.1%) which works out as one in every 50.

Cornwall remains the undisputed second homeland of England though. There are 14,123 second homes in the countywide local authority, which works out as one in every 20 dwellings.

North Yorkshire has the next most with 8,572 (one in every 36 dwellings), followed by Kensington and Chelsea with 7,667 (one in every 12), Tower Hamlets with 7,572 (one in every 20), Manchester with 7,487 (one in every 34) and Dorset with 6,367 (one in every 29).

How many second homes are there across England?

The number of second homes is on the rise across England. There are a total of 279,870 second homes in England, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. That’s 16,552 more than in 2023 and 22,957 more than in 2022. It means the number has increased by 8.9% in the space of just two years.

Second homes are far more common in some areas than others. These areas fall into two main categories - central London or popular coastal holiday spots. One in every four dwellings in the City of London are classed as second homes. That’s the highest proportion of any local authority in England.

North Norfolk has the next highest ratio at one in every nine homes, followed by the Isles of Scilly with one in every 10, South Hams with one in every 11, Kensington and Chelsea with one in every 12, Great Yarmouth with one in every 17, and Camden with one in every 18.

What's being done to tackle second homes?

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “We understand the frustration in areas where large numbers of properties are used as second homes and we are determined to tackle this issue.

“That’s why we are taking decisive action to protect communities by giving councils powers to charge a council tax premium on second homes and increasing Stamp Duty for those buying additional properties.”

The Government has provided councils with the discretionary power to charge a council tax premium of up to 100% on second homes from next April. The premium is not a mandatory requirement, it is for councils to decide whether to charge the premium and at what rate.

The government has also announced an increase to the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax on additional dwellings in the Autumn Budget. This is designed to give an advantage to people buying a home to live in an advantage over those purchasing additional property.