TWO-HUNDRED tenants living in property owned by the Queen today handed in a petition in to Buckingham Palace protesting against the freehold sale of their homes. They protested outside the Crown Estates’ headquarters in off Regent Street then set off along The Mall to the Palace

TWO-HUNDRED tenants living in property owned by the Queen today handed in a petition in to Buckingham Palace protesting against the freehold sale of their homes.

They protested outside the Crown Estates' headquarters in New Burlington Place, off Regent Street, the company managing properties on behalf of the monarchy, before setting off along The Mall to the Palace.

Crown Estates wants to sell off the freehold of the large Victorian terraced houses.

Tenants, many of them key workers including teachers, police officers, firefighters, nurses and Underground train drivers, fear it would be an end to affordable social housing. They are also concerned a private landlord would sell off homes on the free market as they become vacant.

Some 13,000 people singed the petition which was hand-delivered to Buckingham Palace this afternoon.

The chair of the Victoria Park Crown Residents' Association, Joannie Andrews, said: "We were expecting to have to go the side entrance, but were thrilled when we were let through the front gate into the Palace grounds.

"We were met a by Royal Footman who said he would make sure the petition was delivered to the right person."

The tenants who live on four Crown estates at Victoria Park, Camden Town, Pimlico and Lee Green, held a one-hour rally outside Crown Estate's headquarters.

MPs Frank Dobson and Mark Field addressed the protesters, along with Tower Hamlets councillors including deputy leader Joshua Peck. An RMT union rep also spoke on behalf of transport workers living on the Crown estates.

A Crown Estates spokesman said a 'findings document' will be produced following the end of its sell-off consultation today. The findings would be considered along with other factors when making a decision.