I Can't Sell My House If Royals Escape Reforms

An angry couple have hit out at planned reforms to the leasehold system that will leave the Royal Family exempt from the changes.

- Richard Palmer

They live in the Scilly Isles and their home falls under Prince Charles’s Duchy of Cornwall.

Alan Davies and his wife Glen, both 78, have less than 40 years on the lease. According to Alan, his home is unsaleable unless he can extend the lease.

If the duchy agrees, it is likely to cost him thousands of pounds in extra charges per year.

The couple bought their two-bedroom house on the island of St Mary’s in the Scilly Isles as a holiday home in 1983 but have been living there since 1996.

It had 100 years on the lease in 1960. He pays just £25 per year ground rent but has friends who have seen theirs rise to £7,000 or £12,000 in some cases at the hands of the duchy after extending their leases.

Others have to pay more than £1,000 per year if they want to let their homes out as holiday lets.

Feudal

Alan complained that it is nothing more than a money-making exercise for the duchy, which gave Charles £22million in profit last year.