Homeless Man Lives on Porch of Britain's £200 Million Empty Mansion for 3 Years
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 10
Homeless Man Lives on Porch of Britain's £200 Million Empty Mansion for 3 Years
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 10
Summary
Anders Fernstedt has spent three years sleeping on the porch of 2-8A Rutland Gate, a 45-room Knightsbridge mansion that sold for £210 million in 2020 and was relisted at £200 million in 2022.
Fernstedt says he ended up rough sleeping after three no-fault evictions, an assault, a hospital stay and the theft of all his possessions; he chose the mansion's portico because it appeared empty and offered shelter.
The house has stood unused for years amid a murky ownership trail tied to Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan's family; liquidators cannot seize it because it is held in ex-wife Ding Yumei's name and her assets are frozen.
England had more than 300,000 long-term empty homes in 2025, up nearly 15% from a year earlier, while London recorded 1,277 rough sleepers on a single night and 340,000 households waiting for housing.
Housing charities say the juxtaposition captures London's inequality: offshore-owned luxury homes often sit empty as councils lack the powers and funding to bring vacant properties back into use.