How a Homeless Swede Lived for Years in Front of London’s Most Expensive Houses

A home beneath the porch

Fernstedt’s shelter sits on the portico of the mansion at 2-8A Rutland Gate, in central London’s Knightsbridge. Plants, umbrellas, shopping bags and children’s toys surround the entrance, drawing looks from passersby.

He has never entered the house, which appears to be in disrepair. Instead, he sleeps under the porch roof, using an umbrella to create a sheltered nook for mattresses and bedding. The mansion has 45 rooms, an indoor swimming pool and 116 windows.

Fernstedt told DW that camping outdoors suits him. He said the roof and umbrella keep him comfortable through the seasons, while the open sides bring a breeze in hot weather.

The mansion’s uncertain status

The property sold in 2020 for £210 million, then equivalent to €244 million and $278 million. Its buyer was Hui Ka Yan, founder of China’s Evergrande group, who the article says was sentenced to life in prison last month.

Hui never moved into the mansion, which was registered in his wife’s name. The article says the freezing of her assets means liquidators cannot seize the property, leaving it in limbo.

From work to street life

Fernstedt grew up in Sweden and later worked in several careers there and in the United States, including in technology. He moved to England in 2016 and worked as a journalist and fact checker, including at The Economist.

After work dried up around the COVID pandemic, he relied on savings from a share in a technology company. He later lived in a tent and temporary accommodation, where he encountered violence and people with severe addictions.

He told DW that his current life is entirely outside the money system. Local bakeries, cafes and florists give him surplus food, flowers and access to power. A homeless charity in nearby Victoria provides showers, donated clothes and a place to socialize.

Neighbors and daily life

Fernstedt says he tried to become accepted by the neighborhood by making his presence visible through toys he thought would appeal to residents’ children and grandchildren. He keeps his space tidy and tries to live quietly.

Some neighbors object to his presence, while others believe he helps deter thieves or vandals. Fernstedt said people sometimes offer food, clothes and conversation, which he described as ordinary neighborly contact.