I have friends in Gloucestershire, who have been Trust tenants for 10 years. Their rents have increased yearly until they are above the market values.

My friends tell me they were on a yearly renewable lease. Now, however, the short term leases have shrunk to two months. In June they answered their door to find the Trust agent, who told them they had to be out of their home in two months, even though they had paid their rent and were not in breach of any lease clauses. It seems the Trust needed the house to re-home a large family, and my friends' house had four bedrooms, even though they were only two in residence. Their sons and wives often visit for weekends and holidays.

My friends were desperate. Who can find a new home in two months? Also, their house was filled with all the contents from their much larger home before. It seems the Trust can decide if your home is no longer suitable for you, i.e. maybe it's too large for you. It reminds me of school, when you might be told your room's too large, and you'll have to have a roommate.

I'm told that the problem is that the Trust in not accountable to anyone, except Parliament. NT committees make up rules and decisions in their regional meetings, without regard for the legal and humanitarian issues that govern councils, universities, and other land rich institutions.

My friends were told not to take it personally, because it was a ‘business' decision. Luckily, they found a journalist at the Observer who wrote the whole episode up and embarrassed the Trust, who took back their decision.

Still my friends say, ‘Nobody trusts the National Trust.' Sadly, that seems to be the case.