Residents of an upmarket coastal town say they're being forced out of the property market because so many people are buying second homes.
Communities in Falmouth, Cornwall are furious with the rise in people snapping up holiday homes to rent out on sites like Airbnb. It is argued this trend has squeezed locals out of the competitive property ladder.
Oliver Berry, who lives in Falmouth, said: "The competition’s fierce. Every property has dozens of applicants. There are too few places, and too many people looking.
"Post-pandemic, the 'staycation' boom has made things worse, as landlords cashed in on the returns of short-term lets at the expense of long-term tenants."
Writing for The I, Mr Berry added: "The work-from-home revolution has exacerbated the inequality equation: cash-rich buyers moving from more affluent areas of the UK wield a purchasing power with which local people can’t compete."
There are two university campuses in the area, which adds to the competition for housing.
Some students have even sofa-surfed without anywhere to live months into their courses, according to reports.
House prices in Cornwall have jumped by 25 per cent over the past two years, according to Rightmove, as locals are priced out of the market.
But Cornwall Council, controlled by the Tories, has limited powers to regulate the housing market, leaving many uncertain of where they will live once if they can no longer afford their current deal.
The row comes after residents in Newquay, also in Cornwall, hit out at drug users blighting its reputation.
The town was once dubbed the "British Magaluf" but it faces a new challenge to its reputation - as it's now one of the prettiest drug hotspots in the country.
County lines gangs reportedly flood its shores with heroin, crack, cocaine and cannabis.
