A FAMILY of Somali refugees are living in a £2.2million mansion thought to be one of Britain’s most expensive council houses.
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Muriidi Abati, 57, and his wife Maryan Mohamed, 44, have lived in the Georgian townhouse with their seven children, aged between eight and 23, for 15 years.
The four-storey townhouse could be rented out privately for £900 a week but cleaner Mr Abati, who earns £7 an hour, pays just £90 to Islington Council in north London.
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The property includes a basement games room with a state-of-the-art 50-inch flat screen TV, while the living room has two large leather sofas and a massive leather chair.
It is situated in Islington’s Clerkenwell district – a sought-after area boasting Michelin-starred restaurants and trendy bars and home to the world-famous Sadler’s Wells theatre and Smithfield Market.
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Refugees can qualify as a priority for housing if a local council deems them to be “vulnerable” under the Housing Act 1996.
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A neighbour of the Abati family said he was also a council tenant, as were many others in the street.
The man, who did not want to be named, said his home was worth up to £3million.
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Another local, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said: “It really is ridiculous that the council are putting families into homes that only multimillionaires can afford to live in.
“Most people I know who work are mired in debt and can barely pay their bills.”
