Fergus and Judith Wilson, owners of 700 investment properties, put their entire portfolio up for sale last month. A surprising move in a tough market but they say they have had enough of the property market and have several offers on the table.

They have also sold several plots of land at auction, including a one acre plot in Boughton Monchelsea, Kent, sold at a Clive Emson auction in July for £30,000, but this has caused ructions in the village as travellers have moved in with a mobile home. They have called their plot ‘The Fairway’, installed gates and a generator. The travellers plan to stay:

“Everyone’s got a right to live wherever they like, haven’t they?” the owner said.

The couple have also sold another strip of land in the same village, this time for £20,000, but there is no sign yet of a traveller encampment on this strip.

Fergus Wilson said, “I didn’t know who had bought the land and I wasn’t even at the auction. It is unlawful to discriminate against people, be they black, Chinese or travellers”.

The plots are part of a much larger, L-shaped plot they own adjoining Boughton Monchelsea village school. The Wilsons applied for various planning applications several years ago, for this land, all of which were rejected, partly due to opposition from villagers. It seems that revenge is, indeed, a dish best served cold...