Hackney's 'Mole Man' house sells for £1.12m

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Local Government

The notorious ‘Mole Man’ house in London’s East End has sold at auction today for £1,12m - £370,000 over the guide price of £750,000.

The property, at 121 Mortimer Road in Hackney, gained notoriety six years ago because its former owner, William Lyttle, who died in 2010, had dug extensive tunnels of up to 60ft long under the derelict property.

Hackney Council evicted and re-housed Mr Lyttle over safety concerns following the discovery of the tunnel network in 2006.

The site now has planning permission for the derelict structure to be knocked down and allows for the construction of two substantial three-storey town houses with basements, which have been designed to be in keeping with the local area.

The current plan allows for one four bedroom and one five bedroom house, each with basements, a garden and cycle store.   

Sean King, CEO of residential experts Move with Us, which specialises in probate property, said: “From our experience in selling this type of property, we believe that taking the house to auction was the best option in light of the fact it had restricted viewing access due to the structure being deemed unsafe. Putting it up for auction meant that it gained lots of interest which, coupled with its position as prime real estate in Hackney, has served to help it to achieve the maximum value possible for the beneficiaries of William Lyttle’s estate.”

Move with Us advised the beneficiaries that they would achieve more for the property if they were to sell the prime site with planning permission already granted.

As such, it was able to secure an additional £370,000 for Mr Lyttle’s estate.