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Post by oldmike on Aug 5, 2006 8:42:02 GMT 7
QE2's not-so-stately manor
August 04 2006 at 09:10AM The Queen of England reportedly owns a rat-infested terraced house.
Officials have written to her lawyers about the boarded-up property in Gorton, Manchester.
The house has been abandoned for more than a decade after being owned by a firm that was dissolved.
Councillors found the son of an ex-director but he had no interest in claiming ownership.
Under an historic law, because Manchester is in the County Palatine of Lancaster, ownership of "disclaimed" houses must automatically pass to the Duchy of Lancaster.
And since 1399, the estate and jurisdiction of the duchy has belonged to the reigning sovereign.
One resident, Stuart McCabe, 52, said: "We've had rats in the backyard, pigeons, mice - you name it."
The council wrote to royal solicitors recommending use of powers to take ownership.
The house can then be given or sold to the council or a developer reports The Sun.
Councillor Jackie Pearcey said: "In the past I've told officers I want action taken on a house and didn't care if the Queen owned it. But it's the first time a house has actually been owned by the Queen." - Ananova.com
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Post by Methinks on Aug 5, 2006 9:05:17 GMT 7
But it's the first time a house has actually been owned by the Queen." - Ananova.com Surely, this is not true, since ownership of "disclaimed" houses must automatically pass to her. I wish ownership of "disclaimed" houses would automatically revert to me! Many British laws are really of the middle ages. Why the British don't modernise?
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