MPs in UK holiday destinations are calling on the government to act urgently to solve this unprecedented housing crisis. Because of coronavirus lockdown restrictions, staycations have boomed in the UK and there have been claims of profiteering landlords evicting tenants to put their properties on holiday websites to capitalise. One popular area, South Hams in Devon has more than 5,000 holiday homes.

       This has led local Conservative MP for Totnes Anthony Mangnall to say the area is approaching a housing emergency.

       He said: “There are just 19 properties you can rent long-term in the whole of South Hams on Rightmove.

       "However, there are 300 advertised on Airbnb in Salcombe, another 300 in Kingsbridge, a similar number in Totnes.

       "Yet we have hospital staff who can’t find anywhere to live, RNLI crew that can’t live in the town they serve.

       "This is starting to become dangerous.”

       Other MPs, such as Steve Double and Derek Thomas, who also have constituencies in the southwest, have called on the Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, to implement a range of measures to ease the housing crisis in the holiday areas.

       The Welsh Government has also launched a consultation process to address these concerns as the number of holiday homes has risen in the nation.

       Second home ownership has grown because of low-interest rates, cheap mortgages, and a stamp duty tax cut.

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       He said: “Homes now cost 11 times the average local income.

       "I am now hearing stories of tenants being turfed out.

       "It is awful, I’m calling it the Lakeland clearances.

       "The market is utterly broken and if we don’t step in we will see entire populations move out."