The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, has urged owners of holiday homes in the Lake District to offer them as emergency accommodation to people left homeless by Storm Desmond.
However, the chairman of the South Lakes Housing Association said it would be inappropriate and unworkable to force people to hand over the keys to their homes. Farron is a well-known opponent of second-home ownership and is in favour of such homes being heavily taxed.
Families and companies in Cumbria and Lancashire that have been forced to leave properties due to the flooding will be exempt from paying council tax and business rates. Full details of the waiver are being drawn up. There have also been calls for additional relief for those investing in improving properties or creating flood defences.
