National Trust rents parking space at Fenton House for £600-a-month
Ideal for your estate! National Trust leases parking space for £600 a month at stately home Fenton House in London to help pay for upkeep
- A parking space at this former merchant’s 17th-century home costs £7.2K a year
The National Trust rents a parking space at one of its stately homes for £600 a month to help pay for its preservation.
This pricey place in the heritage conservation charity’s Fenton House in the heart of Hampstead, north London, would set you back £7,200 a year.
The 17th century house is a former merchant’s house and was donated to the trust in 1952 by Lady Binning, the last owner and occupant.
After the rental offer was advertised on property search site Rightmove, one person on social media joked, “It looks like a bargain – until you realize it’s for a parking spot.”
The National Trust has since said in response that the fees ‘support our vital conservation work’ and help us protect ‘this special place for future generations’.
Pictured: Fenton House, bequeathed to the National Trust in 1952 by Lady Binning, its last owner and occupant
The rental ad caused quite a stir among the public after it was advertised on property search site Rightmove
Fenton House features a sunken garden, an orchard and vegetable garden, as well as some available parking.
A description on Rightmove reads: ‘LONG LET. Parking space for rent. This car park is in the grounds of Fenton House, a National Trust site in the heart of Hampstead.
‘Conveniently located a short walk from Hampstead High Street with the tube station also close by.’
Another entry on the same site adds: ‘4 x secure parking spaces available for hire, individually or in groups.
‘Located in Fenton House, the location is within walking distance of the high street and Hampstead tube station.
‘The spaces are priced at £600 per calendar month, per space. The location would be a perfect fit for a neighboring company with parking needs for staff or local residents who need safe parking.’
The last properties to be sold on the same road were a three-bedroom apartment for £1.55 million, a terraced house for £1.9 million and an eight-bed town house for £5.3 million.
A description on Rightmove reads: ‘LONG LET. Parking space for rent. This car park is in the grounds of Fenton House, a National Trust property in the heart of Hampstead’
The heritage conservation charity says money from the car park ‘supports our vital conservation work’
Some discussed the cost of the parking lot on a Reddit thread, saying it was more than they paid a month’s worth of rent for their house.
One joked, “For the price of a three-bedroom home in the north, park right outside this beautiful property. You can’t come in.’
Another said: ‘Last year I saw a parking space for sale in London for £270,000, 10,000 more than the price I paid for my 4-bedroom house in Yorkshire.’
However, with parking at an all-time premium in London, this place could actually be considered a bargain, as some parking spaces have reportedly sold for as much as £350,000 a year.
One person said: ‘My friend pays 12,000 a year for a parking space in London…’
Another said, “I think it would be a great way for the museum to generate additional income.”
A third also added: ‘I worked there. It’s a small National Trust site with a staff car park – unsurprisingly most staff don’t drive in so it’s a good way for NT to generate income.
‘Unlike most car parks this one at least benefits a good cause as the income earned goes back into the budget to help look after Fenton House (well worth a visit along with 2 Willow Road if you’re in the area are)!’
The National Trust said: ‘We have let four of the parking spaces at Fenton House.
“As well as supporting the running costs of running the home, the fees also support our vital conservation work, with every penny helping us to protect and preserve this special place for future generations.”
