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A homeowner in China was shocked to find that the previous landlord had secretly been living in the basement of his house for seven years, leading to a legal battle over ownership.
The man, surnamed Li, purchased a second-hand home in Jiangsu province in 2018 for nearly 2 million yuan (US$270,000). His family was thrilled with the location and stylish renovations. However, while organizing household items recently, Li stumbled upon a hidden door behind a staircase, leading to an underground space he never knew existed.
The basement was large and fully equipped with ventilation, lighting, and even a small bar. Signs of recent activity left Li feeling unsettled. Upon contacting the previous owner, a woman surnamed Zhang, he accused her of deliberately concealing the basement during the sale.
Zhang, however, argued that she had sold the house but never included the basement in the deal. “That is my private space. If it belongs to you, where am I supposed to relax?” she reportedly said.
It remains unclear how Zhang accessed the basement, but some speculated she had a spare key or used a hidden entrance connected to the parking garage.
Believing that the basement was rightfully his, Li took the matter to court. The court ruled in his favor, confirming his ownership and ordering Zhang to pay compensation.
The case quickly went viral on Chinese social media, with many users expressing shock and comparing the incident to the Oscar-winning film Parasite, in which a man secretly lives in a wealthy family’s basement.
One user wrote, “Imagine living upstairs while someone secretly drinks and watches TV below—terrifying!” Another commented, “This is a clear violation of consumer rights. She had no legal claim to the space.”
Source: SCMP
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