'I live in abandoned hospital to escape huge rent - I've seen scary things'
Trying to find a good house or flat in London to rent cheap, seems like an impossible task. But, one resident has managed to escape hefty bills by living in an abandoned hospital.
Aisha Barratt lives in studio flat in central London with everything she needs, plus reduced rent and bills included. The savvy resident decided to become a property guardian - which enables tenants to be granted cheaper accommodation in return for living under flexible conditions, in potentially unusual properties. Aisha, as well as 150 other residents, now lives in an former hospital with "scary" features and "creepy" rooms. The freelance TV producer has confessed "lots of things happen to her" and she has "seen a person in the corner" of her bedroom.
The 35-year-old, who used to live in a Victorian workhouse, has been showcasing her home on TikTok and raked in over seven million views as she shared a three-part virtual tour. Thousands have rushed to ask questions and comment about the unusual living situation. "I wouldn't last day," one commented. Aisha said: "I'm a freelancer, I want to save, and I don't want to spend every penny I have on rent. I pay somewhere in between £400 and £700. So it's a no brainer."
The abandoned reception area inside the London hospital (@loveaishab/TikTok)
One of many kitchens in the hospital where people lock up their food cupboards (@loveaishab/TikTok)She continued: "People say I must be super brave to live in an abandoned hospital. I'm resilient and brave. I guess I am brave." After being asked if she feels safe, Aisha said: "Are we really safe anywhere? As far as the building is concerned, I do feel very safe. We have lots of CCTV and security and security measures in place. The people, however, there are some bad eggs in property guardianship."
Aisha got access to unused areas of the hospital - after being giving permission to access - where she found old medical equipment, incinerators - which destroy chemical waste. She also showed off general areas where there are boarded up lifts, and an unused reception area still in place.
London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard
There is a gated basement which is locked off and chained up. "How bad can it be down there?," Aisha said. She described the hospital hallways as her "personal catwalk" and showed off the "cute little" garden. Aisha said people padlock their cupboards so others don't steal their food. The residents have communal showers, kitchen areas, and laundry rooms. Aisha went on to showcase a few of the other buildings. The large complex incorporates at least four other blocks, just as any other standard hospital would. Each building is connected, "that’s why there’s 150 of us here", Aisha added.
Aisha showed her TikTok followers areas which an inaccessible to residents (@loveaishab/TikTok)Social media users flocked to the comment section to share their thoughts on Aisha's living situation - with many divided. One individual said: "Being a nurse that would be my personal hell. I would cry everyday...but you did make it look pretty." Another commented: "I do admire how brave you are. I wouldn't last a day." A third added: "First I have seen people live in a hospital like this. Cute, but creepy nights - I couldn't."
"This place is obviously mad haunted," another wrote. But one individual said "this is the dream", and others seemed to applaud the idea. "Very interesting," one said.
One social media user added: "Ahh I'm so excited for doing the guardianship thing." Another said: "I looked around a school building once that was occupied by guardians. There areas were really cute." One commented: "That was really interesting, thank you for sharing. A good use of space and beautiful art."
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