UK second home owners left out in the cold by Brexit negotiators

UK second home owners in Europe are being totally ignored by Brexit negotiators on both sides.

Many UK citizens who’ve purchased second homes in France, Spain or other EU member states have done so in advance of retirement rather than just for holidays and weekends away. The EU’s free movement directive will have been a crucial part of the choice, as it ensured easy, inexpensive travel without the need to apply for visas every time a visit was planned. In spite of the likely effect of Brexit on British second-home owners, their plight hasn’t even been mentioned in negotiations between the UK and the EU, nor has it been covered by the expat-aimed English language press in Europe.

At the present time, it seems nothing will immediately change unless a hard Brexit becomes an unpleasant reality, as the transition period keeps the status quo as regards obligations and rights until it ends. With media reports talking up the possibility of a hard Brexit, second home owners in the UK are becoming concerned about having to apply for Schengen visas to visit their European properties at a cost of around £60 per trip as well as restriction on how long they can stay within each 180 day period.

The only alternative would be the non-EU visitor visa valid for between four months and a year, and costing £250 as well as requiring medical insurance at around 30,000 euros, evidence of funds covering the stay, a return ticket, proof of accommodation booked and the reasons for the visit. All this, simply to spend time in one’s own second home at one’s own convenience. Its also possible that cheap flights to popular European expat and second home owner destinations will be severely disrupted by a hard Brexit, due to the UK no longer being in the ‘Open Skies’ programme. Given the above, perhaps it’s time for second home owners with properties in EU member states to get together and fight for clarification before it’s too late.