If it's true that we are paying the PoW 1.5 million a year rent for Dartmoor prison...

[CurlewKate]

...among many other things, do you think that's OK? If so, why?

Is that for the prison that is empty because of radon?

Yes. Bit of an eye opener, the Dispatches documentary. I think it’s in the Times too.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/02/king-and-prince-william-estates-millions-charities-public-services-nhs-leasing-land

I know they are landlords and that it’s reasonable for them to gain income fr their land.

but also
if they really also have betterment of their country and community then maybe not charging huge amounts for running wind farm cables over the coastline land would be a good idea.

It's utterly monstrous. They can't sit there handwringing about homelessness etc and doing little sad face visits to hospices while rinsing the public purse.

They don't have to charge a commercial rent, they choose to

Do the royal family still get given funding from the government? I forget.

Because if they do, and we stopped, maybe they'd have to sell land to earn their own keep? Which would then mean the government could own the land so not pay rent.

Is it still a prison? I thought it was a museum

Surely if the prison is unusable, then the it should end the lease and be paying nothing?

I think that landlords should expect a reasonable market rent for their land/premises, whoever they are

No idea how you work out a fair market rate for a unique property. Are all other prisons on land actually owned by the prisons service? If not, what are the rent levels at other sites?

"The investigation found 14% of homes leased by the Duchy of Cornwall and 13% by the Duchy of Lancaster have an energy performance rating of F or G. Since 2020, it has been against the law for landlords to rent out properties that are rated below an E under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations."

But as @SweetSakura says, they then have the nerve to put out documentaries on homelessness, like there isn't a thing they could do about it. Revolting behaviour.

So the private estates of Prince William and the King, are making millions of pounds of income by charging the armed forces, the NHS, charities etc, in rent, and will do so perpetuity? And on top of that Charles will be getting £132 million, from next year? And yet this family talk to us about homelessness and inequality? Why is this acceptable in 2024. How is this fair, how is this right? There are people right now, in our country, who work and pay their taxes, yet are counting every single penny to cobble enough to pay for their basic food shop. People deciding right now, in this moment, either heat or eat today. And yet this royal family charges, and profits from, rent from the likes of the NHS??

That’s pretty crappy, although I will give William the benefit that he only inherited the Duchy of Cornwall two years ago. Therefore to me, he has the chance to right the wrongs he inherited. How long has this been going on for? Since Charles inherited the Duchy? How long has this been happening in the Duchy of Lancashire? Elizabeth’s reign? George VI?

Did they also state which, if any, of the permitted exemptions (available to all landlords) applied?
Or are they putting two things together (the rating, and the policy) and hoping people will add 2 and 2 to make 5?
Or are they explicitly accusing them of acting illegally?

If these properties fall under any of the exemptions, did they examine whether the exemptions had been properly applied?

Duchy of Lancaster, established in 1265, with the title of Duke of Lancaster having been held by the reigning Sovereign since 1399 till this day. So, this has been going on for at least 625 years?

Quelle surprise!

C4 should check out the religions too

Just waiting for someone to come along and point out the royals are worth every penny they squeeze from us because charity and anyway they actually make us money because tourism...

Placemarking as currently away and want to watch when I’m back in a few weeks.

An eye opener of an article. Rights dating back to feudal times over pockets of land across the country.

https://archive.is/lx64jRevealed: the property empires that make Charles and William millions

What is the situation exactly regarding corporation tax and capital gains tax in relation to the Duchies and the RF?

Can someone who understands it explain it to me in Noddy language please?

Are the Duchies exempt from corporation tax because they are charities and yet at the same time are carrying out what can only be described aa commercial activities?

Why aren’t the Royals subject to the same tax and financial laws as other UK citizens?

Is the problem that we don’t know because the accounts aren’t publically available, or is that we do know and different rules apply to them?

It's absolutely fine. Both the Duchy of Cornwall and Duchy of Lancaster are landowning businesses, and have been for centuries. None of this is news. Any landowner is entitled to charge rent on their properties, so I really don't see the problem.

There are exemptions though (a listed or protected building for example), so some of those rentals could be exempt, therefore rented perfectly legally.

listed buildings are exempt from the EPC rental thing. So perhaps those buildings are listed?

The Duchy of Lancaster said: “Over 87% of all duchy-let properties are rated E or above. The remainder are either awaiting scheduled improvement works or are exempted under UK legislation.”

Why didn't you quote this too? Did your pearl clutching render you unable to read any further, or are you rage baiting?

No I just hate the Royal family with a passion. No pearl clutching here, just a lack of comprehension that anyone has any respect for this vile family who are leeching hypocrites.

Charging the NHS Guy's Hospital £11M for storing their electric ambulances in a warehouse owned by the Duchy of Lancaster...
yeah no problem 🫨😱

Can I just let everyone know. The Dispatches programme on All4 is only available for 30 days. That's strange but that's what it said when I watched it this morning.

This article covers a lot of it, but the programme is far far more shocking in my opinion. (It's a Times article archived as it's behind a paywall)
https://archive.ph/k2CGM

But are they paying tax on the profits like other landowners?