It was Britain’s most expensive house. Why is its only resident a homeless man who lives on the porch?
2-8A Rutland Gate had jewel-encrusted bathroom suites and gold wastepaper bins in its 45 rooms, but has lain empty for years. With many people desperate for secure housing, what does the abandonment of this palace tell us about the UK?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jun/10/homeless-man-porch-rutland-gateOpen linkView original on feddit.online
3 replies
An unfortunate reality about a lot of vacant housing is that it's not suitable for long term occupation.
Earthquake proofing wasn't a thing before the 80s. Not a problem till it is.
Asbestos, mold, and rotten structures that cannot be meaningfully restored/repaired.
Poor insulation from a time when large wood burning furnaces did double duty heating and cooking.
Layout/design that inhibits modern amenities such as electrical/ethernet wiring.
As someone who lived in a historical house, the number of service calls I had to make (thankfully not on my dime) was enough for them to let me break the lease halfway through.
Some things they don't make em the way the used to anymore, for good reasons. Like plumbing.
This was heavily renovated in the 80s, so I'd expect it to have full electrical work done etc.
The short version is the place is tied up in legal purgatory, and the owner is currently unable to sell, it would seem.