Can we do something about William and Charles profiting from the NHS etc ?

[Ukisgaslit]

If You haven’t seen it , the Times and Channel 4 Dispatches programme did some proper old fashioned investigative journalism and revealed how Charles and William via the Duchys are charging schools, the NHS and charities ( some they are patron of!) to use ‘their’ land.
It is not ‘their’ land - it is state land , as the crown estates are. The Duchys were overlooked in 1760 when George 111 handed his holdings over in return for annual handouts from the state - they were overlooked as they were worthless then.
They have made the Windsors billions since the mid 20th century and no corporation tax or capital gains tax paid. William recently refused to continue providing the little financial information that his father offered.

Aside from the obvious fact that the king is in a unique position, being above the law whether we like it or not ( though why is William treated as also above the law?) surely they are humiliated to be revealed as ripping off schools and charities and hospitals?

Where is the Windsor mea culpa and offer to repay with interest? Answer came there none.

So AIBU to expect MPs to please act and fold the Duchys into the crown estate ? The UK is in a weakened state and allowing this feudal greed to continue unchecked diminishes our society further .

William was revealed as charging rent on substandard ( illegal) properties so yes the renters would benefit

They are such grasping parasites. I wish they'd all just fuck off and stop thieving from the hardworking people this country depends on.

The proposal is that the Duchys are folded into the crown estates .
the crown estates are owned by the state and all profits to treasury .

They could be gifted to the state for the NHS.

But I guess the main reason not to do it is the next Tory government would sell them off to private owners who would no doubt charge the NHS a lot more.

This ☝
For starters take Buckingham Palace and give it to the local countil with a grant to turn it into social housing. Sell the gardens to build more social housing/recreation areas. They can pick 2 other Royal houses to keep - sell the rest.
Why anyone thinks they deserve ANYTHING from us is beyond me. It is like a weird religious cult.

@Ukisgaslit start a petition for it to be discussed in parliament (I’ve got brainfog and can’t remember the name of the two big petition sites). e.g. ‘negotiate peppercorn rent for Duchy land used for public welfare eg NHS/Schools’ I think it has to get 100000 signatures to be tabled.

I’d have more interest in this if I saw any evidence of any of the business side of the crown estates being well run and managed for the interests of the state.

From what I come across the privately owned lands are so much better managed than crown estates that it would be a detriment to transfer them.

@Ohnobackagain
Its not just the fact that William and Charles are charging the NHS and schools and charities - it’s that they can ignore the tax rules that the rest of the country must follow. Fold the Duchys into the crown estates- that is the simplest solution
It is a stain on the UK that we slow this feudal situation to continue . We are a laughing stock

Who’s ’We’ though? Us, the voting public? Doesn’t matter how we vote, nothing will happen as successive governments (both red and blue) aren’t interested. It doesn’t matter that some individual MPs are unhappy with the issue, if the Government won’t move against it, it won’t happen.

Such emotive language!
How is charging rent 'ripping people off'. Or are you working on the principle that all property is theft?

@senua
So you are fine with Charles William
charging the NHS and charities millions ? You don’t think that the head of state profiting off the state services we all rely on is a scandal ?

The Duchys also enjoy ambiguous legal status - see Williams substandard housing that he rents out as one example aside from not paying taxes on their companies

@lemontt makes a very good point.

If the land was given to the State, the Government (whoever it is) would very likely sell it off to the highest bidder, who would charge a commercial rent wherever possible.

Many years ago I was involved (at a very low level) in the sale of hundreds of jobcentre buildings to private firms. Most of the jobcentres stayed put, but the rent has increased regularly and significantly. It was done as a way to reduce the costs to Government (liabilities + structural wear & tear) and inject £££s into the Treasury. Most are probably owned by pension companies now, with funds held overseas as standard, which could mean (I'm not a tax adviser) no corporation tax is paid either.

It is unlikely any institution (especially the State, given it's past record) will permit a peppercorn rent. They are more likely to sell off the buildings/land to release the equity. They're in this for profit, not the common good.

The Royals are no worse than anyone else here. At least (according to a PP) they pay some income tax here. Many in the same position would arrange their finances so that they pay none.

Clarifying my previous point on Government finances: if it sells off a chunk of buildings, they are no longer creating regular (eg maintenance) costs on the balance sheet, and giving a healthy cash injection. The occupier, for example, a Jobcentre/clinic/whatever will have to pay rent to the new owner (just as it did to the previous owner) and, very likely, all of the maintenance costs. If this is a service funded by a Government department, the expectation is that they will have to cover it. If they don't have enough money, it is usually claimed that the tenant isn't spending their budget efficiently. Not that the Government offloaded it due to the exact same costs.

Sigh. It's just another way of moving all the money around, and ensuring owners get most of the risk, and tenants get most of the bills. Nothing new, it's been going on for decades.

How much do they charge?

I think it’s not fair and they shouldn’t charge rent.
I would happily support the campaign but I won’t be able to write such a letter to my MP by myself . I’m just realistic.

Not a subject I am very knowledgeable about. How is it that the RF have the duchys in the first place?

It does sound like the op is advocating removing private property from its owners and giving it to the state. Only for some property owners though

why is it ok for some landlords to own land and charge the nhs for using it, or a charity, but not others?

@soupfiend Charles charges the NHS 11.4 million to park ambulances on his land
Do you have a figure that you think acceptable for the billionaire above the law king to charge the nhs?

No I’m advocating folding the Duchys into the crown estates where the profits go the treasury .

There are plenty of other highly profitable commercial landlords all over the country who also charge the NHS rent on land and buildings. I know - I used to work for a property management company which rented property to the NHS, and the ultimate owners were absolutely rolling in it.

Should we be looking at them in the same contemptuous way, or is this just a royal-bashing thread?

I could be wrong here however I’m sure under some legal thingymabob they have on the dutchy they have to charge the current going rate rather than offering off peppercorn rates.

Ill go see if I can find it again. I’m sure it was mentioned on the other thread about this too when the documentary first came out.

@Billydavey
”why is it ok for some landlords to own land and charge the nhs for using it, or a charity, but not others?”

In answer to your question , 1. The king is head of state and should not be using position to rip off state services the rest of us rely on, 2,. The Duchys are above the law and do not pay corporation tax or capital gains tax and the ‘voluntary ‘ income tax they proffer is based on what they themselves decide to pay. William has stopped providing even this scant information.

@slightlydistrac are these companies also head of state and above the law ?

"rip off"?? your argument may have some merit but the language you use is childish and does not help.

the treasury won’t keep the land. They will divest it to profit making organisations. In the case of the NHS that would be Trusts or NHS property services. Who will in turn develop it with a private developer. It will still be treated commercially.

A one of benefit is all that would happen and that is doubtful since compensation would be paid.

Again if you issue is institutions and organisations profiteering as landlords from essential public assets, the royals are only part of that. And nationalising their assets is just part of it.

Also the charity building the dutchy didn’t set the rents. Thames water did as the landlord since 2013.