{
  "id": 18907,
  "title": "'I pay £580 a month to live in a disused care home': Property guardians show us around",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/30/i-pay-580-a-month-to-live-in-a-disused-care-home-property-guardians",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-07-30T23:05:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Business",
    "slug": "bbc-business",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4kvge1pyvo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In London, a growing number of individuals are opting to live in abandoned buildings such as care homes, pubs, and banks to avoid high rent costs. These individuals, known as property guardians, pay significantly less rent than private tenants, often around 30-50%, and may even receive utilities and council tax included in their payments. Katrina, a 29-year-old postgraduate student, has been living with around 50 others in an Edwardian mansion used as a care home until 2015. She pays £580 a month for her room, which includes bills and council tax, much lower than the London average.\n\nGuardianship provides an opportunity to live in unique properties, and Katrina describes the mansion as grand and romantic despite some issues like leaking walls and falling balcony stonework. The communal aspect of guardianship is appealing, as residents share bathrooms, kitchens, and living areas, often socializing with a diverse group of people. However, property guardians have fewer rights than private renters and can be evicted with just 28 days' notice. Landlords can also visit at any time and evict residents without providing a reason.\n\nThe Property Guardian Providers Association estimates there are between 10,000 and 15,000 property guardians in the UK, primarily in major cities, with most aged between 20 and 35. As rental costs rise, the number of people applying for guardianship has increased. David Hale, a 32-year-old guardian, moved into a former primary school in Brixton, South London, for around £1,500 a month, which he says is unaffordable in standard rental accommodation. He and his wife save about £1,000 a month by living in this guardianship arrangement.\n\nWhile guardianship can provide affordable temporary housing, it may not be a suitable alternative to an affordable and stable home for most people, according to housing charity Shelter.",
  "summary": "Could you live communally in a disused building in exchange for a heavily discounted rent? Property guardians show us around.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}