I couldn’t afford a home of my own so I moved into an abandoned school

A musician who couldn’t afford to buy or rent a house has made the bold move to hole up in an abandoned school – and it’s perfectly legal.

Max Armfield lives in the remains of a primary school in the south of London after struggling to get anywhere in the capital’s property market.

The 24-year-old is one of about 20 people living in the building, and has converted one of its rooms into a space to live and create new music, The Sun reports.

The school was permanently closed in September 2022 after moving to a new $11.8m site.

In a video detailing his new home, Max can be seen playing basketball on the school’s playground.

In the footage, he reveals what are some of the hardest parts of life as a resident of a school building.

“It’s definitely pretty strange sometimes because all the toilets and sinks are knee height because this used to be a primary school,” Mr. Armfield says.

“I think there are around 20 people living here too who are a similar age to me and everyone seems to be doing pretty creative stuff.

“It’s the only place in London that I was able to set up a studio and the guy in the room next to me has ripped up all his floorboards to create a photography space.

“I don’t really know what to expect from living here but come follow the journey.”

In a follow-up video uploaded this week titled ‘How I started (legally) squatting in a school’, Max explains his move further, stating that what he is doing is called guardianship.

”A guardianship scheme is where disused buildings are rented out at a rate that is slightly below the average for the area to stop people illegally moving into the buildings,” he explains in the video.

“Parts of it are amazing but everything is communal so the showers, kitchen, toilets and everything just seem to break all the time.

Guardians are used in large groups to secure properties, meaning landlords do not have to pay tens of thousands for security or can claim 90 percent reductions in property rates on empty buildings.

But the downside is that many renters complain of leaking roofs, poor conditions and ruthless companies taking advantage of their financial plight.

Councils across London and private landlords are allowing the companies to rent out an increasing number of empty buildings with up to 7,000 property guardians – almost double the figure of three years ago, according to The Sun.

“The main reason that I wanted to move here though is because it allows me to make music that I can’t really do if I’m sharing a house with other people.

“You guys don’t need to worry – the children have been moved to a new school that has just been built.”

Both videos showcase the abandoned school with its interior remaining almost untouched.

Corridors are plastered with children’s artwork and notices while the playground still has outlines used for children’s games on the tarmac.

The 24-year-old’s room contains a large sofa, television, chairs, two guitars, and a table with a computer and speakers which he uses to create music.

Mr. Armfield has even managed to use an adjacent room as a bedroom, which contains a double bed, a side table, and even a basketball hoop on the door.

Elements of the school’s previous occupants can be seen in Max’s studio as a paper towel dispenser, knee-high cupboards, and a sinking line on the wall.

The video has since received over 685,000 likes and more than 2,200 comments from impressed users.