Articles like this are so disingenuous. UK news has been reporting things like this for several years now, always trying to make it sound like it’s us mean old continental Europeans who are forcing our evil rules on the poor blameless Britons. As opposed to being the exact thing they themselves voted for. Hello and fuck you from sunny Portugal, dear Brexit voters!
On this specific issue, I doubt there is much overlap between those that voted to leave and those that own properties outside of England (either vacation homes or just not living in the country).
Of course a Brexit-supporting rag is now complaining when the EU enforces the rules which Brexit means Britons now have to abide by. Caveat emptor you fucking idiots.
I love that the best example they can find is a couple who spend only 140 days a year in France, despite the rules allowing 160 days a year. They obviously only go there for particular seasons: They're not residents, they're tourists
They're also not actually prevented from continuing to do it, and despite how important this is said to be to them, it was just "too much hassle"