Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/11/05/uninhabited-mansions-of-london.html
…
5 Likes
They should do what Vancouver does, and charge an “empty home tax” so that city services remain funded
28 Likes
Don’t worry, everybody, I’m sure that the knock-on effect will be minimal if/when the money laundering faces a hiccup for whatever reason and these properties (and those like them in Manhattan, Tokyo, etc) tumble in value.
After all, what’s the worst that could happen if the value of these properties is reset and the market has billions of dollars of cap wiped off the books in one fell swoop? I’m sure the market no longer features tons of properties with highly speculative values being propped up by collateralized obligations, right?
8 Likes
The grounds look like crap, but someone has been washing the windows.
1 Like
If it was okay to scan the tents of Occupy London with IR cameras to see if anyone was inside, I don’t see the problem with scanning these occupiers.
12 Likes
“And how would you descibe this style of architecture?”
“Neo-Palladian Cocaine Hedonism”.
13 Likes
Squaters - listen up!
9 Likes
Rich people always say allowing poor people into a neighborhood will damage property values, but it’s apparently the rich themselves who are the problem. Sounds like these neighborhoods are due for a bit of Adverse Possession. Is that a thing in merrye olde England?
10 Likes
Google Streetview was done in May, somewhat newer than the satellite view.
(It’s a good video, but “con-trovesy” is one of my trigger words. sigh)
1 Like
Land Banking, it’s killing humans everywhere. It will be the ruin of California & the USA if we don’t start passing laws prohibiting this shit.
12 Likes
As in the yachts topic, I’m sure a “free” market fundamentalist will be along shortly to tell us about the wonderful job-creating societal goods these empty mansions serve, and to assure us that this has nothing at all to do with capitalism.
7 Likes
Does the UK have squatter’s rights? What if someone moved into one of these homes and slowly started renovating it and living in it?
6 Likes
In order to have squatters rights you need to gain entry legally, eg through an open door or window, you can’t break in.
Also these houses do have security patrols and people checking on them regularly.
5 Likes
Good to know. Its definitely a shame knowing that there’s plenty of people in the UK that need homes and these properties along with luxury apartments just sit empty and unused.
3 Likes
seems ripe for squatting then.
1 Like
eg through an open door or window
There were a few of those… 
1 Like
“can’t break in” lol… who’s to say you’re the one who smashed the window and unlocked the door? As long as you have the receipts for fixing it? I suspect the premises that have never had anyone live in them might have significantly less strenuous security patrols.
3 Likes
This is ground zero of Thatcherism. Literally.
At the north end of this road, you cross over into Finchley, which was that woman’s seat in Westminster.
8 Likes
I took a brief look at what it would take a squatter to legally take over one of these properties and it seems like its pretty difficult.
3 Likes
As soon as the squatters are spotted, the lawyers would get involved and there would be a court order to get them evicted. It would take a few days/weeks but they would be removed.
It’s not a case that you can enter a building and immediately claim squatters rights.
If those buildings were demolished and replaced with terraces or even smaller houses then hundreds of people would be able to be housed, but it’s not a problem just to that part of London, there are thousands of properties that are vacant that would be great if they were rented out.
6 Likes
