Squatter Timothy Ellis now owns the u200,000 Brixton council house he hasoccupied for
16 years, to the outrage of local residents who, unlike Ellis,have been faithfully
paying council tax and rent. Ellis is sitting on asmall fortune owing to soaring house
prices in London – local estate agentspredict the property could be worth up to u275,000
given a lick of paintand a tidy up. Ellis owns the property owing to a law which
transfersownership if a person lives unchallenged on land for 12 years.