Age UK urged not to sell home for elderly

Salcombe Town Council has asked Age UK to reconsider plans to sell its Woodcot property in Salcombe

A council has urged Age UK to reconsider plans to sell a landmark residential home it claims was, in effect, gifted to the town.

Salcombe Town Council said Woodcot on Cliff Road should be transferred to another charity as it was subject to a covenant agreeing the property could not be used for anything other than a home for the elderly.

However, Age UK said when it acquired the property, the transfer did not include any restrictions which would "stop it being sold" or that required it to remain a home for older residents.

An Age UK spokesperson said it currently rented out apartments to six tenants which required major maintenance and was not cost effective.

'Challenging financial times'

The town council's mayor, councillor Jasper Evans, said the potential sale was "devastating".

"The property was gifted to the town in effect, for use as a residential home for older people and we want to keep it as such and respect the covenant - both for Woodcot and for the legacy of Elizabeth Jennings who gifted it to the town," he explained.

Age UK said it provided support for property maintenance and management but no other services were provided as tenants were "fully independent".

It said it was neither a care home nor sheltered accommodation but the charity could not "justify the additional expenditure" of day-to-day maintenance.

"We're looking into a number of things before a final decision about a sale is made and therefore do not expect anything to happen until 2026 at the earliest," a spokesman said.

"No notice to terminate any tenancies has been given."

Simon Henn said he was lived at Woodcot for 20 years

Resident of 20 years, Simon Henn, said Age UK had been "marvellous landlords" and "generous" to residents.

"Which comes first? Are we going to be thrown onto the street or are we going to be able to be moved somewhere not as good as this but adequate for our old age?" he asked.

He said he doubted a new owner would let residents remain.

"I can't see how another charity can take it on because there's no endowment and it is a very expensive place to run," he continued.

"But Age UK were given it for nothing and I think they have a moral obligation to hang on if they can."

Ruth Kent said she was feeling "distressed" about the potential sale

Fellow resident Ruth Kent said she was feeling "distressed" at the thought of having to move after 20 years.

She said: "We don't have home anywhere else. We love our home, and we want to stay in our homes.

"We are having to get our heads around the idea that this might not continue much longer. We are quite distressed about it."

Woodcot was given Grade-II* listed status in 1949, according to Historic England.

The council said the property was gifted to a charity by its owner, Elizabeth Jennings, in 1969 to give older people without homes somewhere to live. The charity handed it on to Age UK in 1977.

Campaigner Kathy Koo, who knew Ms Jennings, said she would have never left the property to charity if she thought it would be sold.

"She wanted old people with a connection to Salcombe to benefit from living in this beautiful place," added Ms Koo.

Kathy Koo said Elizabeth Jennings, the previous owner, wanted Woodcot to be a place for older people to live

Age UK confirmed there were a number of "restrictive covenants" attached to the property and said it had sought legal advice.

"These do apply to us as a question of property law but they are for the benefit of two neighbouring properties, rather than being for the wider community or creating specific obligations on us as a charity," the spokesperson added.

"We do intend to discuss some aspects of those covenants with our neighbours."