The National Trust has defended itself from criticism in national newspapers after it was accused of creating “ghost towns” by raising rents in villages it owns to unaffordable levels.
The charity was criticised in The Observer yesterday and The Times today over its rental prices. It is at least the 12th piece of negative coverage in The Times over the last three weeks.
The charity has also been the subject of negative stories in the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph, as well as criticism in the House of Lords.
The Observer and Times quoted Joanna Leighton, chair of the Tenants’ Association of the National Trust, as saying that there had been an increase of trust houses turned into holiday lets. But the trust said there was no evidence to support this claim.
“The National Trust owns more than 5,000 houses and cottages,” the charity said in a statement. “The overwhelming majority of these are leased as rented accommodation. We have 418 holiday cottages.
“There is no policy or drive to turn rented accommodation into holiday lets. There is also no evidence to support such a claim.
“The overall number of rented homes we own has remained consistent. We have increased the number of holiday cottages we own by an average of around five a year over the last three years.
“We charge the market rate on our rented accommodation taking into account the size, location and condition of the property. The only exception is staff housing, which is subsidised in very specific circumstances.
“We have a national residential house letting policy, which the Tenants Association of the National Trust were involved in establishing.”
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