Travel to second home

Allowing travel to second home whilst using social distance measures and self isolating ie: to your caravan etc

Why the contribution is important

To give you a break from your house and let the kids out beyond their garden or walk, change of scenery

by Mariemunday on May 07, 2020 at 07:55PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 2.9
Based on: 65 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Moany May 07, 2020 at 20:13

    Which is why we still have people in our seaside village thinking it is appropriate to come and visit their holiday homes. Our granddaughter has Cystic fibrosis. If she contracts Corona she will more than likely die. She is 15!

  • Posted by koreadon May 07, 2020 at 20:22

    It is not appropriate to have people travel to second homes ahead of everyone else seeing their family members. This gives the impression of a holiday rather than lockdown and social distancing. It is also presumptuous to to assume many
    people in Scotland own a second home (don’t Airbnb have them all?)

  • Posted by VREMB May 07, 2020 at 20:26

    No! Our village was out under enormous stress over the first couple of weekends of lockdown. Stay where you are registered with your GP!

  • Posted by lcraik May 07, 2020 at 20:36

    Not good - you are putting the alien NHS area under greater pressure

  • Posted by normamacgill May 07, 2020 at 20:46

    Agree with the above. Plus you will then have tourists from elsewhere in U.K. or even abroad turning up. Needs to be even stricter rules on this not less.

  • Posted by angelamcd May 07, 2020 at 21:07

    NO ,not safe and very greedy and self serving

  • Posted by jennyw May 07, 2020 at 21:22

    Owners need to visit to check and maintain their properties. They pay local council tax and have every right to utilise what is theirs. It also helps the local economy. They should not be penalised to satisfy the demands of some.

  • Posted by Billy51 May 07, 2020 at 21:40

    If people have a second home / caravan they should be allowed to use it as long as they stick to the rules. If they are sick then they obviously would be at home isolating and not travelling.

  • Posted by Purple23 May 08, 2020 at 00:44

    People could travel toa second home and be asymptomatic.

  • Posted by Islander64 May 08, 2020 at 01:28

    The trouble is that you can have the virus without showing symptoms travel to your second home and then infect others in an area with limited healthcare facilities...you would also be stuck there adding to the problem. Think how popular you would be with your neighbours...Very Selfish and all for the sake of a “change of scenery”...Bad Idea.

  • Posted by Zilsniggy May 08, 2020 at 03:27

    No. We don't need to put strain on other communities resources by travelling around Scotland, possibly carrying the virus with us. A second home is not a necessity, many of us live without that luxury! I live on the coast, in recent good weather the place has been inundated with outsiders coming on day trips. NO. As for helping the local economy....not so much, nothing is open!

  • Posted by Pinksquirl May 08, 2020 at 06:06

    Absolutely disagree with allowing use of second homes. How many communities put at risk just for selfish few who want a break for THEIR children. If the children need a change of scenery walk a different walk. Don't use children as an excuse for OWNERS wanting a break. We would all enjoy a break or change of scenery, but far more important to keep our Highlands and Islands safe. Utilities can be paid online, no need to transmit this deadly virus into communities that would find it difficult to cope.
    Think yourself lucky that when we come through this you will still have a second home to visit and enjoy.

  • Posted by Donniebabs May 08, 2020 at 06:23

    Permit use of second homes, maintaining social distancing. Limit travel distance to second home from main residence

  • Posted by DebbieD May 08, 2020 at 07:41

    This is not the time to bring extra pressures to rural communities, our infrastructure, NHS , shops stock, GP practices do not have the capacity to support visitors. Visitors would be tempted out in the day, more travel - more risk, the RNLI and mountain rescue tell people not to do activities in hills and on water. Rural communities have worked hard to protect their residents, please try to look at these communities as people's homes and place of safety in these challenging times. It may look ideal from the outside looking in, but we have faced significant challenges of availability with maybe only one shop in a community.

  • Posted by CJLorimer May 08, 2020 at 08:26

    2nd homes are important to many peoples well being - if extra guidance needs to be in place to allow people to facility the use of their caravans, holiday homes, weekend home, chalets then the Scottish people have shown that they can follow good guidance .
    I am positive no one will want to share this virus so testing would be helpful for people wishing to travel. However, if they can use a private car, continue social distancing, have a clean environment to go too and leave any area as they found it then it is difficult to see the harm done.

  • Posted by kintyreinspection May 08, 2020 at 08:31

    If you can afford a second home, then you can afford to pay someone local to check your property.

    You may not have any symptoms and feel it's okay to travel, but you may be a carrier and possibly pass it on to others.
    No amount of hand washing, sanitising is going to stop the spread. We all think we're doing all the right things to prevent the spread, but it is so easy to forget that you touched something and not wipe it down with ant-bacterial wipes.
    Think of others before yourself and your needs.

  • Posted by maggiea May 08, 2020 at 08:51

    We need to learn to live with this disease in a safe and reduced risk manner which also enables us to live our life and look after our mental and physical health too. And our economy. Traveling to second homes is good for this. Also good for making sure the buildings/caravans etc are ok. And good for local economies too! As long as people socially distance, use hand sanitizer etc.

    This is not greedy or self serving - some peoples livelihoods depend on this. It is also good for local economy - more money spent in your local shops/restaurants etc which helps to keep them open and give you the opportunity to have them on your doorstep. Also second home tax - contributions to your area!

  • Posted by Fiona1 May 08, 2020 at 09:23

    People should be allowed to use their own second homes once lockdown starts to ease as long as they are adhering to the social distancing. They pay for the home and need to be able to check the house is still in order and not falling into disrepair. Second home owners also contribute to the local economy alot of which is usually seasonal and as a shop owner I would like to see second home owners be able to return. I do not agree with them letting their homes out etc but see no reason for them not to return to their own second homes.

  • Posted by wildone May 08, 2020 at 16:10

    No way. Totally selfish idea -no thought for the local community where the second home is situated.

  • Posted by user1234 May 08, 2020 at 16:15

    I believe people should be permitted to stay in their own private static caravan. In my situation my caravan is much more isolated than my home and I come into much less contact with other people there than I do in my house. It is totally self contained so I would not have to use communal shower or toilet blocks. It is also within 20 miles of my home so I would still be using the same main supermarket than if I were at home and also the same hospital should I fall ill so would put no more strain on the local area than if I was at home. This would help greatly with the mental ability to cope with an extended lockdown.

  • Posted by LPkj May 08, 2020 at 17:12

    Yes! It would help my mental health to go to my second home! I am less than 2 hours away. In the city I am much more vulnerable, being outside there are people everywhere, many not following the two metre rule. The shops are crowded, the parks are crowded. The shared back court is fill of neighbours, some socialising and not keeping adequate distancing. At my second home I have hardly any neighbours, and my own garden. It would be lovely to just go up for a day.

  • Posted by KT May 09, 2020 at 11:17

    Did Catherine Calderwood suggest this idea??

  • Posted by JLMBD May 09, 2020 at 13:53

    No, absolutely not! Communities that are currently unaffected by the virus are safe because they have worked so hard to isolate properly. Anybody coming into a community who doesn't live there is a risk and it's a selfish attitude to think it's OK. The local shop is working 24/7 for local residents not to serve people who don't belong there. If your vehicle breaks down you put a recovery driver at risk. If you have an accident you put police, paramedics and recovery drivers at risk. If you shop in a local store you put the whole community at risk. No, do not allow travel to 2nd homes, caravan parks or camping. Anyone can carry the virus, no one is special or entitled.

  • Posted by carterkjef May 09, 2020 at 18:12

    Selfishness seems to be a theme in these comments - a lot is written about protecting elderly residents and isolated communities that have kept themselves safe. Scotland does not have a monopoly on either of those things and I would point out that while I may be a second home owner it is something that I have worked hard for in a not very well paid job for a lot of years. My husband and I continue to work and contribute to an economy that is experiencing the deepest recession in living memory with our taxes and payments to National Insurance continuing to support all those retired to remote areas where there is little work to support their communities except that which aids the visitor economy. Why not be unselfish and keep your distance within your community and we will keep our distance when visiting.

  • Posted by JennyBee May 10, 2020 at 14:12

    Absolutely agree with Carterkjef here. Just because you happen to live in an area does not give you the monopoly on it. There are very few areas in Scotland that don't have a t least a few cases of the virus, so the inference here by some posters that we are "bringing the virus with us " from our dirty cities is simply not true. We contribute massively to the economy, by guests who come to use the local shops, cafes and pubs in normal times.
    Its worth remembering that despite stringent efforts, Skye now has a massive outbreak- where? In a care home. The virus has infiltrated all areas of society and second home owners/ caravan owners/ holiday let owners ( yes, that's me ) are no more guilty than anyone else in " bringing it into " an area.
    Now, I must go ,I have a bottle of Bollinger champagne cooling, and my hot tub heating..

  • Posted by Islander64 May 10, 2020 at 15:03

    Selfishness certainly does seem to be theme...Small Communities trying to protect themselves from the virus Vs People who believe their right to a holiday is paramount.

  • Posted by geforse1 May 10, 2020 at 16:44

    Not all 'second homes' are in rural areas, many as in my case will be the other way around, ie it's in the city. Owners need to visit to check and maintain their properties, it's not just about living there. We follow the same rules as everyone else and have every right to utilise what we own.

  • Posted by Jay32 May 10, 2020 at 17:22

    No, protecting lives is not selfish. Travelling to a second home at this stage is not essential.

  • Posted by Islander64 May 10, 2020 at 17:34

    You’d think I’d have the right to drive my own car and take the ferry to visit my own flesh and blood on the mainland and hold my baby granddaughter..but I can’t. We are all suffering in some respect. I make do with video calls. If you need to check on your property you can employ someone in the area to do it.

  • Posted by matthew123 May 10, 2020 at 20:31

    Second homes are not essential. Visits should only be allowed to them once general restrictions on travel are no longer necessary. There are so many other things that would be a higher priortity to ease.

  • Posted by annecampbell May 10, 2020 at 21:54

    Stricter rules needed to stop this

  • Posted by Cathol May 11, 2020 at 17:19

    Agree, we have a second property under renovation (by ourselves) we can travel and do not use any of the local facilities.
     We do not stop on route so why should be it not be permitted.

    Alot of individuals seem to resent anyone who wants to start the country again.

  • Posted by sl806e May 11, 2020 at 20:24

    I live in a seaside community which depends upon tourism to survive. Visitors to the village DO NOT place a burden on local communities but SOME locals have used anger and fear to justify punishing others whose livelihoods depend on tourism.
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