A TENANT who will now pay cheap rent for life has slammed his landlords for taking him to court, claiming they tried to increase his rent out of “greed”.

David and Sheila Harding bought their friend and next door neighbour Colin Gregory’s bungalow for £143,000 in 2001.

They used a buy-to-rent mortgage, meaning Mr Gregory did not have to move out and would pay £800 a month in rent.

The Hardings claimed Mr Gregory was struggling to pay his mortgage and they bought his home to “help out” before he then became a tenant at the property in Broomfield Avenue, Peacehaven.

The couple sold their own home and moved to Spain in 2002.

Three years ago they decided to try to sell the other property, first offering it back to Mr Gregory, who declined and refused to leave.

Mr Gregory, 68, retired, said: “David is trying to say they tried to help out by buying the house in the first place but I had already made plans to sell it to another person and had to let them down.

“I was not struggling to pay my mortgage as he claims.

“We had a paper agreement stating that I could stay in the house for as long as I want for £800 a month, with a mortgage payment included in the rent.

“He said we didn’t have that agreement when we went to court. Why would they have left it all this time to put the rent up if we didn’t have an agreement?

“I think they did it out of greed.”

The Hardings offered him a year to find the money to buy the three-bedroomed bungalow back but he did not.

They then accepted an offer from a buyer who was willing to pay about £240,000 and keep Mr Gregory as a tenant.

The interested buyer said he needed £1,200 a month rent and Mr Gregory refused to accept the £400 a month increase.

Brighton County Court heard the case in March last year, where Mr Gregory said he sold the property to the Hardings for a reduced price on the basis he could rent it for as long as he wanted.

The couple tried to get possession of the £310,000 home but a little-known law meant they were ordered by the judge to give him cheap rent for life.

Mr Gregory’s solicitor cited two laws dating back to 1925 and 1948. Under the 1925 Property Act he has the right to pay £800 for the next 90 years.

The Hardings were ordered to pay Mr Gregory’s costs of £11,000 and told they can only sell the home to someone who will keep him as a tenant paying the same rent.

Mr Gregory said: “I have spent over £5,000 on repairing stuff around the house that I have never got back.

“I also still haven’t been paid any of the court costs they have been ordered to pay.”

When contacted by The Argus, Mr Harding, 58, said: “What Colin is saying is not true and we have tried to get access to the property through Fox and Sons in Peacehaven, with letters of notice and messages.

“The very last message was sent to him on May 30, 2016, and still no response.”