MALVERN Hills Conservators will be forced to charge people thousands of pounds to confirm right of access to their own homes.

This follows the Charity Commision's decision to turn down a request by the Convervators for permission to waive the fees.

Under the new Countryside and Rights of Way Act, the board must charge between half and three per cent of the value of a house when a householder requests an "easement".

This is a certificate which proves the owner's right to access property across common land owned by the Conservators.

It is only needed when such houses change hands and the buyer's solicitor demands proof of access. Until now, the Conservators have provided the easements free.

As trustees, board members have a duty to do the best they can financially for the charity, or else get into trouble with the Charity Commission.

However, at a meeting earlier this year, the board said it did not wish to charge anything for the easements.

But director Ian Rowat said the board would not start charging yet.

He said: "We won't be doing anything definite at the moment. It has not yet been decided what the level of charging should be - it could be anything from half a per cent to three per cent.

"Until a level has been decided, we are not charging anything."

Ironically, the legislation in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act was introduced to prevent private landowners from charging exorbitant fees by limiting the size of them.