One for the National Trust buffs out there

[speccy1]

I don`t know if anybody can answer this or provide any info as nobody that I`ve asked so far has any answers!

Apart from the many stately homes that belong to the NT they also have a huge stock of small cottages/houses, and it`s one of these that my grandparents used to live in from long before I was born right up until I was 25 when they moved. The cottage has many happy memories and I loved it as much as I did them.

Now, I would give my right arm to be able to buy the place from the National Trust, but not sure if it`s worth even asking, anybody know if they would listen? Or whether there is a process that you can go through to purchase one of their properties? I know nothing here and am not sure whether to write to them or not. Their website is worse than useless...............

 

[Dave 123]

I doubt they'd get rid of an asset just because you'd like it. They get rid of stuff that they don't want or need due to things being too expensive to restore.

Having said that, they're into conservation of habitat more these days. Buy a woodland for around the same value of the house, release a few dormice and see if they want to do a swap.

 

[speccy1]

I had a feeling that would be the case, shame they can`t just let one small cottage go, it would be nothing to them in the grand scheme of things

 

[Katherine]

I know someone who works for the trust and lives in a house in the grounds but have to move out next year because the trust want to sell it, so now might be a good time to approach them.

 

[speccy1]

I know someone who works for the trust and lives in a house in the grounds but have to move out next year because the trust want to sell it, so now might be a good time to approach them.

Ok that`s interesting. Thanks

Might be worth a letter or an email then?

 

[Katherine]

Ok that`s interesting. Thanks

Might be worth a letter or an email then?

Nothing to lose!

 

[speccy1]

That`s very true, I`ll bite the bullet and ask, based on what you have said, at least a small glimmer of hope!

 

[speccy1]

Thanks Katherine

 

[raleighnut]

Mention the family connection to the house when you speak to them.

 

[speccy1]

Mention the family connection to the house when you speak to them.

Ok thanks, I will

 

[Markymark]

You'd give your right arm for something but think it's not worth asking??

Seriously, I can guarantee 100% you won't get it if you don't ask but if you did you might know.

What's stopping you spending an hour getting through to the right person and asking a simple question?

 

[swansonj]

There is a legal mechanism for the National Trust to declare some of its property "inalienable", whereby it becomes legally impossible to sell. There is sometimes controversy when local supporters of a property want it to be declared inalienable but the Trust nationally refuses. That suggests to me that they do indeed sell properties on occasion or at least want to preserve their option to do so.

 

[winjim]

Even if they don't sell it maybe they would lease it long term?

 

[vickster]

Phone them and ask. They'll let you know what the process might be

 

[Ganymede]

Charity law states that a charity must make the best financial use of its assets. This means they can't give discounts or give away stuff unless it's part of their charitable remit (eg distributing aid or providing cheap counselling to their target needy group) - they can also give deals to other charities which have similar charitable objectives, eg lending a paid expert to a smaller charity in the same field.

This means they have to maximise things like rents from properties such as the one you mention, in order to support the charitable aims. So if they see the ongoing rent as more lucrative than a sale then they are obliged not to sell. They might just also have their own reasons.

NB this is why Charing Cross road lost most of its second-hand bookshops. The law came in and the charity which owned (owns?) the estate was obliged to put its rents up to commercial levels, which were way in excess of what the bookshops could afford. What I would have done is add a clause to the charity's objectives about supporting second-hand bookshops, but that may have been a hard sell to the government. Huge shame and a total loss to the area and London in general.