Lavish London mansion set to become Britain's most EXPENSIVE home after £280million bid
08-10-2015
A LAVISH London mansion is set to become Britain's most expensive home after a mystery bidder submitted an offer of £280 MILLION.
The Hyde Park property, which boasts 60,000sq ft and 45 bedrooms, has been empty for almost three years after its price tag proved too heavy for even the wealthiest home buyers.
It was originally listed in 2012 with an asking price of £300 million - double that of the second most expensive home in Britain - following the death of its previous owner, Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
The sky-high price and years of no interest led to jokes about it being the only property in London that is too expensive to buy.
But last night, Cedric Emmanuel of property agents Swiss Group, which is handling the sale, confirmed: “We have received an offer of £280m and it is under consideration.”
The eye-watering amount has yet to be accepted and the identity of the bidder is currently unknown, but one source suggested it may be another Saudi.
However, a potential Russian buyer and even the nearby Qatar embassy is also believed to have expressed interest in the property.
The incredible property has been empty for years
The massive home contains a large basement swimming pool, an underground car park and several lifts.
However, the new owner will find themselves lacking luxury interior and will have to spend serious cash refurbishing it.
A public auction of the property's contents is taking place this week and includes a French Louis XV Pompadour antique fireplace, 41 Murano glass chandeliers and more than 100 gold-plated tissue boxes, along with a number of marble bathtubs, sinks and bidets.
Less luxurious items for sale include a range of kitchen appliances such as a toaster and grill.
The mass auction is believed to be linked to the potential sale, with one source saying that the possible buyer did not want anything in the home.
There are no guide prices for any of the items, but auctioneer Pro Auction is hopeful that it can raise £450,000 - a fraction of what the home is worth.