Two millionaire equestrian half-sisters are locked in a High Court dispute over a £2.7 million mansion in the New Forest, after one sister allegedly changed the locks and evicted the other.
Lindsay Bisiker, 50, is suing her older half-sister Judith Bisiker, 63, over ownership of Moonhills, a six-bedroom house with stables, a tennis court, and four acres near Beaulieu. The property was purchased in 1984 by their father, Jim Bisiker, a former Royal Marine and oil tycoon.
Lindsay claims the property was always intended to be held on trust for the entire family, despite being registered solely in Judith's name. She states that Moonhills served as her UK 'home base' during boarding school and remained her childhood home. The dispute intensified when Judith decided to sell the property.
Lindsay alleges she was unlawfully excluded from the house in April 2023 when Judith arranged for the locks to be changed while she was staying there with her dogs. Lindsay is asking the High Court to declare that Moonhills is held on trust for the family, allow her to purchase it at a discounted price to keep it within the family, and award compensation for her alleged eviction.
Judith denies these claims, asserting that she is the sole legal and beneficial owner because their father purchased the house in her name with the intention that it would belong to her. Her legal team argues that changing the locks was justified to prevent Lindsay from obstructing the sale and accuses Lindsay of becoming 'obsessed' with the property.
Lindsay's lawyers contend that their 95-year-old father always intended Moonhills to remain a family home and never wanted it sold on the open market. They cite written documents and a witness statement from Jim Bisiker dating from 2016 to 2023 that they say back Lindsay's version of events. According to Lindsay's barrister, James Sandham, Moonhills has always functioned as a family base where children could come and go freely, without paying rent, and that the property was generally maintained by funds provided by Jim. He stated that Judith's actions in evicting Lindsay and attempting to sell the property were in breach of trust and contrary to Jim's wishes, who preferred for one of his children to purchase it to keep it within the family.
Judith's legal team disputes the existence of a legal trust, arguing that any family use was an informal arrangement. They also contend that Mr. Bisiker's more recent statements are unreliable due to a claimed lack of mental capacity by 2023. James Saunders, barrister for Judith, argued that she holds both legal and beneficial title, unburdened by any trust obligation. He explained that Jim Bisiker purchased the property in Judith's name in 1984, with the intention that she be the owner in law and equity, partly to minimize inheritance tax.
Judith's lawyer stated that Lindsay's determination to buy the property intensified after it was considered for sale in 2021, calling her interest an 'obsession.' Following the alleged lock change, Lindsay was reportedly ordered to leave by Judith's lawyers, and a security firm was later hired to change the locks again, excluding her from the house.
Lindsay maintains she was unlawfully evicted from what she considers her childhood home and is seeking damages. She argues that Moonhills was intended as a family asset, held in Judith's name for tax purposes but effectively in trust for the wider family. She stated that she lived there, kept her belongings and horse there, spent holidays there, and viewed it as a family home, with Judith acting as a surrogate mother.
Judith disputes this, maintaining that Moonhills legally belongs to her and was never held in trust for the family. While she acknowledges a moral obligation to honor her father's wish that relatives could use the house when practical, she argues this does not grant them ownership rights. Her lawyer also characterized Lindsay as a frequent visitor rather than a resident.
Lindsay's parents, Jim and Brenda Bisiker, and her siblings Brian, Heather, and Malcolm have also been joined as parties to the court dispute. The trial is ongoing.