An Iranian asylum seeker who lost his job and was then evicted from his home built a $380 shed on the bank of the Thames in a posh area of London — making him Mick Jagger’s neighbor.
Shahoo Amini built an 8-foot-by-4-foot shed under Battersea Bridge alongside the Thames after being evicted from his apartment in a far less luxe part of central London’s Victoria neighborhood.
Amini lost his job after a motorcycle accident caused him to lose the majority of his memory and left him unable to do his job.
The former courier rider solely relies on his savings, as he is receives no government benefits and does not have a job.
He secretly erected the small structure and says no one minds it, telling Daily Mail: “Nobody bothers me and to be honest, you can’t even see my shed from the road because it’s hidden away. I love my little place.”
Prior to living in his shed, he spent months after his eviction homeless. He used to his savings to survive and slept under bridges. In the U.K., sleeping on the streets is known as “sleeping rough.”
Now Amini, who came to the UK in 2013, enjoys waking up to views of the river from his perch on the upper portion of the shed.
“It’s wonderful opening the windows, looking out at the Thames and letting the fresh air in. I’d rather be here than sleeping rough on the streets,” he told the British outlet. “I did a lot of searches on Google for houses close to the river or the sea and got my inspiration from these. My place is very beautiful. It’s very cold at night, but the view is amazing.”
The Iranian asylum seeker’s home does not have a heating source, forcing him to rely on a hot water bottle for warmth.
But when the weather is nice, he eats outside, sitting an a Union Jack-themed folding chair that overlooks the Thames with views of Albert Bridge.
He’s able to prepare elaborate meals, cooking up meats and fresh vegetables on his oil stove outside.
He cooks only once a day and showers once a week at a nearby gym, the Daily Mail reported.
He built the shed using materials he bought from a builder’s yard: a pre-packaged shed that has an asphalt roof, covered with a plastic sheet for extra protection from the weather.
The roof extends 12 feet, providing an overhang for Amini.
Whether or not Amini will be forced to move will be up to the Transport of London, as Battersea Bridge falls under its jurisdiction.
So far, no complaints have been filed against him and locals are friendly, he told the outlet.
Transport of London told the outlet the agency is “working with the housing and rough sleeping outreach service at Kensington and Chelsea Council to help the person staying in a shed on the Battersea Bridge structure.”
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