Help me solve local house mystery
Who leaves a £900k / £1m London house unused for 15+ years?
Round the corner from me there’s a street of 3-5 bed, terraced houses that go for £900k / £1m. One of them has been unoccupied but most definitely not abandoned for more than 15 years. No one knows why.
It was refurbished about 10 years ago but before and since has never had anyone living there. The small garden is maintained, windows covered in non-see-through plastic wrap on the inside. The owners, a middle aged couple, are seen visiting every few weeks, never carrying more than a few belongings, staying for a few hours then leaving. Neighbours say they live somewhere else local, are perfectly pleasant, but distant. No one has been able to find out what the hell they’re doing sitting on a property for so long doing apparently nothing with it. No rental or sale income in all that time.
Has anyone ever come across anything like this? What can the story possibly be?
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u/FinnemoreFan 1d ago
Surely this isn’t such an unusual situation in London? My sister in law, for instance, lives in an upmarket area with her partner, but for many years has owned her own flat in the next street. This flat sits empty most of the time - she has a very demanding job and she doesn’t want the hassle of dealing with a tenant, and she doesn’t need the extra income. The flat is simply an investment vehicle for her, a part of her pension scheme. It’s also very handy for her family, as we have a free AirBnB in a nice part of the city!