A couple claim their historic 20-bed mansion that they bought for just £9,000 has become unsellable – despite it now being valued at £1.2million.
Fashion designers Charles and Patricia Lester MBE, who have made clothes worn by stars such as Barbara Streisand and Adele, originally bought Llanfoist House in Wales in September 1971.
The stunning Grade-II listed country house, that is believed to date back to 1690, has since sky rocketed in value – but the couple have failed to sell it even after slashing £350,000 off the asking price.
The couple say they have been stuck in limbo for decades due to regular landslides and leaks from a canal running adjacent to their home.
The canal is located around 70ft above the property at the top of a steep bank and has caused repeated serious leaks over the decades.
Moreover, they were nearly killed by a devastating landslide in 1975 and another disastrous one also took place in 2014.
Now Mr and Mrs Lester, who are aged 83 and 82, claim the issues have not only damaged their mental and physical health, but made their home virtually unsellable.
Mr Lester said: ‘We have been trying to sell the house for the last ten to twelve years. It has ruined our retirement.
Fashion designers Charles and Patricia Lester MBE, who have made clothes worn by stars such as Barbara Streisand and Adele, originally bought Llanfoist House in Wales in September 1971
The stunning Grade-II listed country house, that is believed to date back to 1690, has sky rocketed in value and is now worth £1.2million
The couple have so far failed to sell the house even after slashing £350,000 off the asking price
‘We were going to retire to a home that we had built ourselves in west Wales.
‘It was by the sea and it was built for old people. An old couple could have lived in and run it, while still staying in a stunning location.
‘We had been working on it since the 1990s – completely rebuilding it. If you give two designers a blank sheet of paper, you get carried away.
‘Sadly, we eventually had to sell it. It was heartbreaking.’
Their house, which is set in six acres of stunning grounds, was once the home of Crawshay Bailey, the MP for Newport and aa and pioneer of the coal industry.
But the couple say they have both developed heart issues and years of ‘sleepless nights’ at being stuck in a house too grand for an elderly couple to maintain.
They had to accept a low offer of £850,000 for the property – nearly half a million below the house’s £1.2million valuation – to have a chance at selling.
But even that fell through after the couple failed to find a firm that would certify the property as being safe.
Mr and Mrs Lester, who are aged 83 and 82, claim the issues have not only damaged their mental and physical health, but made their home virtually unsellable
A canal is located around 70ft above the property at the top of a steep bank and has caused repeated serious leaks over the decades
Pictured: The aftermath of the devastating landslide in the 1970s
Mr and Mrs Lester said they blamed the Canal & River Trust (CRT), which took over the state-owned British Waterways in 2012.
They claim the trust has been negligent in its maintenance of the canal and say they’re complaints haven’t been taken seriously over the decades.
Mr Lester, who is originally from Banbury in Oxfordshire, recalled the worst landslide in 1975, in which he and his wife were almost killed.
He said: ‘We heard a noise and came out of the house to see great jets of water coming out of the bank.
‘A mass of 20,000 tonnes or so of water headed straight for us, bringing a tremendous amount of rocks and trees streaming towards where we were standing. I remember my body just froze.
‘Luckily, the biggest trees came down first and their roots hit a wall and formed a sort of dam and stopped us from getting washed away.’
He claims maintenance conducted by the CRT – then British Waterways – had turned a once stable canal into a death trap.
He added: ‘The canal was closed in 1960. Back then, it was an extraordinary piece of engineering and there had never been a collapse in its 200 year history.
‘That is how it was when we bought it.
Mr and Mrs Lester said they blamed the Canal & River Trust (CRT), which took over the state-owned British Waterways in 2012
The house, which is set in six acres of stunning grounds, was once the home of Crawshay Bailey, the MP for Newport and aa and pioneer of the coal industry
Pictured: The beautiful grounds around the house which its owners have said has become unsellable
‘But then they dredged it for boats with modern propellers and they lined the canal with clay. British Waterways kept working their way down – dredging it deeper.
‘We have had all our problems since then.’
According to Mr Lester, the couple complained to the CRT around the time of that incident, five decades ago, but he claimed poor maintenance practices continued.
He added: ‘In the major landslide, the canal’s safety gates hadn’t worked because they had rotten away.
‘Afterwards, they continued to do all sorts of things which any competent engineer would tell you are terrible ideas.
‘They put thick concrete at the bottom of the bank, with concrete slabs on the sides. They didn’t even put any seals on the joints!’
In 2014, deep cracks appeared once again in the banks above the house.
‘One of our engineers said that if the canal came down it could sweep us away’, Mr Lester said.
Mrs Lester, who is originally from Buckinghamshire, said: ‘I still suffer from sleepless nights. Can you imagine what would happen if it went in the middle of the night?
The stunning Grade II listed Country House is believed to date back to around 1690 and was divided up in the 1920s
Pictured: The aftermath of the most recent collapse
Designers Charles and Patricia Lester, who have made clothes worn by stars such as Barbara Streisand and Adele
‘When something as big as the collapse happens and you know it could happen again, it makes you relive the whole thing again and again.
‘I think about it every night when I go to bed. It’s a nightmare. You become really really stressed, not knowing if you’re going to be bankrupt or even killed.
‘It takes your life up completely.’
The Lesters have previously attempted to took the CRT to court, using their housing insurance policy which covered legal costs of up to £100,000.
Mr Lester added: ‘They took on a top legal firm against us because they couldn’t afford to lose. If they did, it would set a precedent all over the country.
‘They just ran us out of money.’
A spokesperson for the CRT said in response: ‘The canal is an engineering marvel from the industrial age that attracts visitors from around the world.
‘Our charity works hard to keep it open and navigable for people to enjoy and for the benefit of wildlife.
‘We will continue our programme of maintenance and repairs, monitoring for leaks or movement in the canal’s embankments and acting to remedy them as necessary, along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, including at Llanfoist.’
An aerial view of the mansion near a canal in Wales
Pictured: The aftermath of the devastating landslide in the 1970s
Charles and Patricia have been hand painting, designing and creating couture ladies gowns and interior design fabrics for over 50 years.
Their creations can be seen in a variety of museums around the world including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Ohio State University – Wexner Centre, Phoenix Art Museum and Houston Museum of Fine Arts.
As recognition of their work Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall came to visit their Studio in 2015.
They have worked on many film, television and opera projects with their individual designs taking a starring role.
They have also personally been worn by some of the worlds best known celebrities such as Barbara Streisand, Whoopi Goldberg, HRH the Duchess of Kent and the late great Elizabeth Taylor.