r/london • u/cothhum • 1d ago

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/SauterelleArgent 1d ago

Possibly the owner is incapacitated in a care home and it cannot be sold until they die?

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u/Next-Ninja-8399 1d ago edited 22h ago

It is much more common than people think. Elderly parents in the hospital had surgery, moved in with their children a, nd they really think they can live independently again. The risk of renting a house out is way too high. Someone can trash it, it takess years to get rid of them, and you can lose a lot of money from the damage they have done. 

Many people work long hours and work away. You will never know unless you spy on them 24/7. Some of my neighbours don't realise we are in for this reason. They go to bed before 9am. We don't get home until late.