
Inside London's property guardian homes: huge space, cheap rent
Finding affordable housing in London seems impossible, but thousands of people have discovered an unusual solution: property guardianship.
Meet theater director Robyn Winfield-Smith, who rents more than 1,100 square feet in the heart of central London for a fraction of the area's typical rent. In exchange, she helps protect a vacant building waiting to be sold. From former art schools and hotels to police stations, property guardians live in empty properties that owners want occupied. The arrangement comes with huge savings, but also strict rules, shared facilities and the possibility of having to move out at short notice.
Could you imagine being a property guardian in exchange for cheaper rent? Let us know in the comments!
CHAPTERS
00:00 Robyn’s London housing hack
00:50 What is a property guardian?
01:43 How guardians protect vacant buildings
02:22 Touring Robyn's unusual living space
03:41 Life inside empty offices, hotels & police stations
04:27 The downsides of life as a property guardian
06:18 Is cheap London rent worth the trade-off?
#dweuromaxx #livingdifferently #londonhousing
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CREDITS
Report: Jana Oertel
Camera: Fred Rotkopf
Edit: Manuela Reuss
Supervising Editor: Mirja Viehweger
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Meet theater director Robyn Winfield-Smith, who rents more than 1,100 square feet in the heart of central London for a fraction of the area's typical rent. In exchange, she helps protect a vacant building waiting to be sold. From former art schools and hotels to police stations, property guardians live in empty properties that owners want occupied. The arrangement comes with huge savings, but also strict rules, shared facilities and the possibility of having to move out at short notice.
Could you imagine being a property guardian in exchange for cheaper rent? Let us know in the comments!
CHAPTERS
00:00 Robyn’s London housing hack
00:50 What is a property guardian?
01:43 How guardians protect vacant buildings
02:22 Touring Robyn's unusual living space
03:41 Life inside empty offices, hotels & police stations
04:27 The downsides of life as a property guardian
06:18 Is cheap London rent worth the trade-off?
#dweuromaxx #livingdifferently #londonhousing
--------------------------------------------
CREDITS
Report: Jana Oertel
Camera: Fred Rotkopf
Edit: Manuela Reuss
Supervising Editor: Mirja Viehweger
--------------------------------------------
Subscribe to DW Euromaxx:
https://bit.ly/DWEuromaxx_Sub
Would you like to find out more about Euromaxx?
▸Website: https://www.dw.com/english/euromaxx
▸Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dw.euromaxx
▸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dw_euromaxx
DW Euromaxx brings you engaging insights into European cultures and lifestyles.
DW Euromaxx
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