Minquiers hut sells for "six-figure sum"

Wednesday 22 August 2018

When it comes to being a des-res, it’s perhaps more of a deserted residence, than a desirable residency - although clearly some would disagree.

Property sales on the Minquiers – little more than a cluster of rocks 12 nautical miles south of Jersey - are a rare thing, which might explain why an anonymous buyer has snapped up what is barely a ‘hut’ for a six-figure sum.

The property, which is on the main ‘island’ Maitresse Ile, is made of granite, has windows and a tin roof. Court records list its buyer as 'L'Hopital Limited' - a St. Brelade-based company only registered earlier this month with the JFSC. The owner remains unknown.

There are fewer than 20 huts in all on the archipelago, which is officially part of the parish of Grouville. Two of those are owned by the States. Strict rules dictate what can be built on the islands, and many of the huts have been passed down through the generations.

Pictured: Ownership of Les Minquiers was settled in a a court case at the International Court of Justice at the Hague in the 1950s. (Jerripedia)

Records seen by Express show only two transactions in the 25 years prior to this most recent sale - one in 2015 sold for £35,000, and another in 1995 for £30,000.

It’s the perfect get away. The area is protected by the Ramsar Convention for its importance as a seabird habitat, and is also home to Grey Seals and Bottlenose dolphins.

It might be quiet now, but, just over 70 years ago the islands were at the centre of an ownership dispute between Jersey and France, which had to be settled in the International Court of Justice at the Hague. It was settled that it was British territory. It seems the fact owners paid Jersey rates helped sway the judges.

Pictured: Viberts conveyancers carry out a site inspection. (Viberts)

The sale of the property was carried out by law firm Viberts, and, as with most sales, the team – Advocate James Lawrence and senior conveyancer Michael Falle - went on a site visit to check everything was in order.

Commenting on this rare transaction, Advocate Lawrence said: “This was certainly a piece of work which neither Michael or I will forget. It’s not every day you take a boat to undertake a property site visit, but the process is ultimately the same as with any property – checking boundaries and the site generally. The actual transaction is interesting in itself too. Ordinarily, these beautiful huts are passed through families from one generation to the next, so the fact that one was subject to a transaction is rare.”

Senior Conveyancer, Michael Falle, added: “We were pleased that Viberts was chosen to deal with this unusual conveyancing matter, which is testament to the firm’s strong local reputation and its clear focus on the importance of Jersey’s tradition and history.”