Twelve families have been paying as little as €5 a month in rent to live in houses in the grounds of the Reggia di of Caserta, a magnificent 18th century palace near Naples in the south of Italy.

Reggia di of Caserta, Naples.

Reggia di of Caserta, Naples. Image by N i c o l a / CC BY 2.0

The families, who are believed to be ex-palace employees and their descendants, have been free to enjoy the luxurious 120-hectare grounds of the Unesco World Heritage listed palace. The families were issued with eviction notices some time ago when the situation was discovered, but only one has left so far. The Italian Court of Audit is investigating.

Read more: thelocal.it