Tonight:
-3°c
Belgravia gang's £20m new home
Peter Dominiczak11 Nov 2009
Serial squatters have taken over a £20million house in the same Belgravia street as the London residence of the King and Queen of Jordan.
The group, who call themselves the "Belgravia Squatters", moved into the 42-room house in one of the capital's most expensive streets.
The house comes with gilded sinks, a lift, ornate wallpaper and a huge internal courtyard.
The extensive home also includes the mews house behind and is protected with CCTV cameras.
Hours before entering the seven-storey property, the squatters left a £15million house in nearby Chester Square, a few doors from the home of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's ex-wife, Irina, and their children.
The squatters said they gained access to the new property legally through an open window on a first-floor balcony.
Their spokesman, film-maker Mark Guard, 45, is inviting key workers struggling to afford accommodation to join them. "I am going to squat as many of these empty Belgravia properties as possible," he said. "I am inviting nurses, firemen and teachers to live in these squats free."
One of the squatters, Peter Dobbins, 25, a musician and writer from Plumstead, said: "The rooms are incredible - it's just too surreal."
Fernando Romero, a 22-year-old barman from Spain, said: "I'm living like a millionaire in complete luxury"
Reader views (6)
The problem is that 8 out of 10 of these houses are owned by an Offshore Trust (allowing the real owners to escape stamp duty/inheretance tax etc..) If you can afford to buy houses like this in London and leave them empty, then I'm all for these squatters using them. Why doesn't the government legislate that only REAL people can own residential properties. Because they are spineless!
- Dingo, London, 17/11/2009 15:21
Report abuse
This is the first piece of news in this paper for a long time that has made me smile. Nicely written too - no judgment, but plenty there to make people start thinking. A quick response to the comment by Nore' - if anyone using another's property for free is a thief, then surely the biggest thieves today are the bankers...or do we have different rules for people in suits and people in jeans and sweaters?
- Brendan, London, 12/11/2009 13:09
Report abuse
Empty houses? That can't be right, I thought this country was supposed to be full up with immigrants. Seems there is plenty of room after all.
Bob - there is no such thing as "trespass", only "trespass with intent" to commit a crime. If you haven't broken in and don't intend to do anything wrong, there is no crime.
- Nolan, Londonist, 11/11/2009 16:59
Report abuse
I'm waiting to hear that burglars have used that "they gained access to the new property legally through an open window on a first-floor balcony" line. That makes the burglary the fault of the victim. Hey - they could even sue the victim for harrassment when they get caught!
- Rogan, Irving, 11/11/2009 16:13
Report abuse
Why is squatter even a word? These people are simply thieves. There is no justification for anyone using another's property for free.
- Nore', London, 11/11/2009 13:38
Report abuse
"The squatters said they gained access to the new property legally through an open window on a first-floor balcony."
How is that legal, surely it's trespass?
- Bob, Cheam, 11/11/2009 12:27
Report abuse
