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Prince Andrew A Bad Tenant?

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Media interest in Prince Andrew has soared to meteoric levels this month—though I suspect most people are indifferent, the press seems determined to make us care. Regardless of where you stand on the prince himself, I was once again dismayed to see the ambiguities of English law being exploited to push a narrative that is, quite simply, factually incorrect.

Take The Times, for example. Its front-page headline declared: "Andrew has not paid rent since 2003." Let's be clear—Prince Andrew is a leaseholder. He purchased the lease, and as such, is not required to pay rent. This is yet another instance of legal terminology being misunderstood or misrepresented—a recurring trap for politicians, journalists, and the public alike.

The Prince's Situation

 In 2003, Prince Andrew purchased a 75-year lease on a Grade II listed, 30-room property from the Crown Estate. He paid £8.5 million in total: £5 million for repairs, £2.5 million to 'buy out' future rent obligations, and a £1 million premium to the Crown. Whether this was a fair deal—or whether the Crown Estate acted wisely—is open to debate. What's not in question is that Andrew (and his heirs) legally own the lease until 2078. The only reference to 'rent' in the leasehold contract is a nominal charge of one peppercorn per year. In the 16th century, that may have held some value; today, it's a legal relic. At most, Prince Andrew owes a handful of pepper—and any claim that he is living 'rent free' is simply misleading.

The Baffled Brit's Guide to Housing Lingo

Sadly the misuse of the term 'rent' is just one example and we have created the following guide for politicians, journalists and all the rest of us - so read on as here is our Guide On How to Survive a Leasehold with Your Sanity Intact 

Rent
What you think it means: Money you pay to live somewhere.
What it might mean:

  • If you're a tenant: yes, actual rent.
  • If you're a leaseholder: possibly a token "peppercorn" rent, which sounds culinary but is legally binding.
  • If you're reading The Times: a headline trap.

Affordable Housing
What you think it means: Cheap homes for people who need them.
What it actually means: A specific tenure type, often costing up to 80% of market rent. Not necessarily affordable to anyone earning less than a Cabinet Minister.

Peppercorn Rent
What you think it means: A quaint Victorian tradition.
What it actually means: A legal placeholder—often £0 or £1—used to satisfy contract law. No actual peppercorns involved.

Leasehold
What you think it means: Sort of owning your home.
What it actually means: You own the building (maybe), but not the land. You may also owe ground rent, service charges, and your soul to the freeholder.

Ground Rent
What you think it means: Rent for the ground.
What it actually means: A fee for existing on someone else's land, even if you've paid hundreds of thousands for the privilege.

HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)
What you think it means: A student house.
What it actually means:

  • A property with multiple tenants who aren't a family.
  • A licensing headache.
  • A planning designation.
  • A fire safety risk.
  • A bureaucratic abyss.

Void
What you think it means: A cosmic emptiness.
What it actually means: An empty property, often costing councils money and landlords sleep.

Decanting
What you think it means: Pouring wine.
What it actually means: Moving tenants out—temporarily or permanently—usually during regeneration. May involve promises of return that age like milk.

Tenure
What you think it means: How long you've lived somewhere.
What it actually means: The legal basis of your occupancy. Can include freehold, leasehold, assured tenancy, shared ownership, or "don't ask, don't tell."

Shared Ownership
What you think it means: Co-owning with your partner.
What it actually means: Buying a percentage of a property and renting the rest. Like owning half a sandwich and paying full price for the other half.

Succession
What you think it means: Royal inheritance.
What it actually means: The legal right to take over a tenancy after someone dies. Often misunderstood, occasionally contested, rarely straightforward.

Mutual Exchange
What you think it means: A friendly swap.
What it actually means: A bureaucratic dance where two social housing tenants trade homes—with landlord approval, paperwork, and a dash of hope.

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About the author

Martin Silman

Martin began his landlord journey 30 years ago, while working in an international role for a global telecommunications company. Since retiring he has extended his portfolio, which he manages with his wife, but has always focussed on the ‘small student HMO’ sector preferring to offer homes in the community for small groups to the more common ‘pack them in and take the money’ mentality. He has chaired the PDPLA for the past 12 years and has overseen the Associations transition from small local self-help group to a much larger and more professional institution which is recognised and listened to nationally. Alongside his PDPLA role, he also has leadership roles in a number of other local organisations – bringing his unique perspective, driving for change and increased use of technology while respecting the history that brought us here.

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