PRIVATE tenants known as ‘guardians’ are living in Melksham House as part of a security contract with Wiltshire Council, Melksham News can reveal.
Camelot Europe, a company specialising in managing vacant properties, is occupying the 400-year-old Grade II listed house as Wiltshire Council prepares to convert it into the town’s new health and wellbeing centre.
But the arrangement is shrouded in mystery as the council would not confirm how many guardians were living at the property, nor how much they pay to Camelot Europe; nor how long they would be allowed to stay.
Camelot Europe is protecting the building by allowing an undisclosed number of ‘property guardians’ to live in the house.
The company’s website says the guardians are often ‘young professionals or key workers looking for a low cost living solution’. It stresses that the guardians are vetted and that ‘only the most reliable and trustworthy individuals’ are selected.
A spokesperson for Wiltshire Council said, “In order to keep the Melksham House site as secure as possible we are working with Camelot Europe to manage the property and have a cost neutral agreement in place with them.
“Camelot Europe sources guardians to live on site as ‘security by occupation’ and the guardian pays Camelot a fee under a licence agreement.
“Property Guardians are expected to look after the property responsibly as if it were their own. Their main role is to ensure there are no security breaches and that the property is well maintained prior to its ultimate use, immediately reporting issues as they arise.”
Camelot Europe did not respond to Melksham Independent News’ request for comment.
