Wall Cuts Cottage In Two After Legal Battle

Mr Bensted in Stag Cottage

An oyster company has built a wall through the middle of a pensioner's home after winning a legal wrangle.

Derrick Bensted, 77, has lost his kitchen, a bedroom and most of his lounge at Stag Cottage in Whitstable, Kent, after a court decided he did not own half the property.


The former taxi driver refused to move despite being offered £80,000 for his half of the house.

Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company, which owns the land enforced the lease by putting up a wall.

"The builders came one day with bailiffs, and put it up. I didn't try to stop them," Mr Bensted said.

"I thought it was going to be plywood, but it ended up as plaster.

Tenants have rented the property, valued today at about £300,000, since 1860. The system seemed to be successful until Mr Bensted was left his half of the house about 10 years ago.

Barrie Green, managing director of the Oyster company, told Sky News Online: "He then took our half and rented it out. He received income from our half for nine years but did not hand us any rent.

"He does not live in the house, he lives next door. We gave him six months to put up a wall after the court ruling but he has done nothing."

The company, which can trace its business back to 1793 employs 100 people.

link : http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91059-13206805,00.html