Highest number of second homes is in London, not tourist areas

The highest number of second homes in UK local authority areas exist not in the south west, the Lake District or any other tourist hotspot - but in central London.

Data from Hamptons International, prepared for the Daily Telegraph, shows that the City of London has the highest proportion of second homes in England with 28.5 per cent, with Kensington and Chelsea on 10.2 per cent, followed by Camden, Westminster and - a surprise, perhaps - Tower Hamlets.

“Some central London locations are heavy on second homes because of pied a terres for those working in London during the week. Others are second homes in prime areas of London bought by the very wealthy with several homes, and buying something for investment” explains Fionnuala Earley, Hamptons’ research director.

Her figures, based on Land Registry and council tax data, compare the situation in 2010 with 2015. While the proportion popular second home London boroughs has risen over those five years, there is much less uniformity in the tourist hotspots - many of which have seen minor falls in holiday home ownership as a share of the overall housing stock.

“Of the top 20 out-of-London areas with the highest proportion of second homes, 14 have seen a fall since 2010 while the remainder have been broadly stable” explains Earley.

Out of London        

Isles of Scilly -  15.7% of homes are second homes;

North Norfolk - 9.5%;

South Hams - 9.4%;

Purbeck - 7.6%;

South Lakeland - 7.5%;

Scarborough - 7.3%;

Chichester - 6.1%; 

West Somerset - 5.8%;

Cornwall - 5.4%;              

Eden - 5.4%.

London Boroughs     

City of London - 28.5% of homes are second homes;

Kensington and Chelsea - 10.2%;

Camden - 5.9%;

City of Westminster - 4.5%;

Tower Hamlets - 4.3%.