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.