On October 1st, a set of new on-site videos and photos circulated on mainland China’s internet, reigniting discussions about the lavish London mansion owned by Evergrande founder Xu Jiayin.
The photos depict the super luxury mansion adjacent to Hyde Park, with the porch and steps piled with flowers, shopping bags, old furniture, toys, umbrellas, tents, and numerous items, where a homeless individual has been living for an extended period of time.
This house was once one of the most expensive standalone residences in the UK, with a transaction price of £210 million in 2020, approximately 1.9 billion yuan. Today, the mansion’s gates remain closed, lying vacant for an extended period, with the outside serving as a temporary residence for the homeless, sparking attention due to the stark contrast.
The super luxury mansion comprises 7 floors, 45 rooms, 4 elevators, and an indoor swimming pool, with some windows overlooking Hyde Park.
Anders Fernstedt, 57 years old, has reportedly been living near the mansion’s porch for about 3 years, as highlighted in a report by The Guardian in June. Fernstedt has arranged items like umbrellas, tents, flower pots, books, bicycles, creating a makeshift living space near the porch.
Fernstedt’s background is complex, having briefly worked as a fact-checker for The Economist and studying horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. However, a series of unfortunate events, including injuries from a car accident, eviction without fault, and assaults, ultimately led him to homelessness.
According to sources, Fernstedt only resides on the porch and steps outside the house, without entering or controlling the mansion’s interior.
The mansion’s connection to Xu Jiayin dates back to 2020 when it was originally sold for £210 million in a record-breaking transaction for a single property in the UK. While the initial buyer’s identity was linked to Hong Kong businessman Zhang Songqiao, subsequent media reports and data disclosed Xu Jiayin’s involvement as the actual controlling entity.
This mansion was never a typical residential property that could be directly inhabited. It had undergone extensive refurbishment, including alterations to the basement and the addition of a swimming pool, before getting stuck in financial and legal issues due to the owner.
Following Evergrande’s liquidity crisis in 2021, the mansion was put on the market.
In 2022, the property was listed for sale at around £200 million but failed to find a buyer.
After Evergrande entered liquidation proceedings in 2024, the liquidators began pursuing assets, including those belonging to Xu Jiayin and affiliated individuals. However, the legal structure of this London property is intricate.
Public records indicate that the property is held by offshore companies, with ultimate beneficial ownership linked to Xu Jiayin’s ex-wife, Ding Yumei. The liquidators of Evergrande face challenges in directly dealing with this property due to issues concerning asset ownership across different legal jurisdictions and Ding Yumei’s personal assets.
In April 2025, the Hong Kong High Court extended asset freezing orders against Ding Yumei, encompassing assets worth around $220 million in Canada, Gibraltar, Jersey, and Singapore.
In September this year, the Hong Kong High Court rejected a request by Xu Jiayin’s lawyers to use funds controlled by the liquidators to pay legal fees, indicating that the process of Evergrande’s liquidation and asset recovery is ongoing.
As a result, this mansion has remained unsold and unoccupied for years, gradually falling into neglect amid complex asset recovery and legal processes.
The renewed attention on this mansion is also intertwined with Xu Jiayin’s changing fortunes.
During Evergrande’s peak, Xu Jiayin was once China’s richest individual. In 2017, his personal wealth reached approximately 290 billion yuan, and Evergrande swiftly expanded from a Guangzhou-based real estate developer to become one of China’s largest real estate companies.
However, Evergrande’s rapid expansion heavily relied on debt, financing, and property sales.
Following Evergrande’s debt crisis in 2021, the company faced liquidity difficulties. In 2024, the Hong Kong High Court ordered the liquidation of China Evergrande, leading the former real estate giant into an asset disposal phase.
In April 2026, Xu Jiayin admitted guilt; on August 20th, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple financial crimes, with all his personal assets confiscated. Both Evergrande Group and Evergrande Real Estate were fined heavily.