Couples win battle over ‘royal palace’ houseboats

Two couples won a High Court battle after telling a judge how their plans to live on luxury houseboats near a royal palace had been scuppered.

Oliver and Jennifer Small, and Fiona Johnstone and Louis Sydney, claimed that boatbuilder Myck Djurberg had “induced” them to buy houseboats by saying they had mooring rights at Hampton Riviera marina on the River Thames, near Hampton Court Palace.

They accused Mr Djurberg of “serious misrepresentation”.

The Smalls said they paid

£1.25 million for their boat, and the Johnstone-sydneys £550,000. Judge Murray Rosen ruled the Smalls should get £1.25million damages and the Johnstone-sydneys £550,000.