Overview

• Charles and Patricia Lester bought 17th-century Grade II-listed Llanfoist House in 1971 for £9,000 and now see it valued at £1.2 million.
• They have struggled to find buyers for more than ten years as leaks and landslides from the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal repeatedly undermine their property.
• A near-fatal landslide in 1975 and a second collapse in 2014 underscored the risks, and no firm will certify the mansion as safe for sale.
• The couple blame the Canal & River Trust for negligent upkeep and say their insurance-backed legal challenge failed after exhausting the policy’s coverage.
• The trust says it continues routine monitoring and repairs to stabilise the canal embankments and safeguard adjacent homes.