No rent hikes for current tenants living in flats with Banksy's art but bids from wealthy fans are welcome, says landlord

18 March 2024, 18:10 | Updated: 18 March 2024, 18:35

By Jasmine Moody

The owner of the block of flats adorned with Banksy's latest artwork is welcoming wealthy admirers to make an offer to buy the property - but reassured anxious tenants he would not up the rent.

Locals to Finsbury Park, north London, feared that their rent would 'skyrocket' after the mystery artist's latest piece.

However, estate agent Alex Georgiou has reassured worried residents and claims he will not be charging more.

Mr Georgiou, who bought the property in 2012 for £400,000 told the MailOnline: "You know what, if somebody offered me millions, they can have the building and take the flats with it. Feel free."

The block is now estimated to be worth £1.3 million and has been swarmed by fans of the elusive artist.

Mr Georgiou went to see the mural for the first time this morning and said it created a "buzz" around the building.

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"It's quite mad to be honest, to come down here and just to see all the crowds of people looking at the building," he said.

In response to worried residents on the possibility of being charged more, Mr Georgiou said: "No, no, no, no.

"I was having a bit of a laugh with the girls who were saying I was gonna put the rent up 250 per cent but no no. I doubt it.

"Unless we have a massive Banksy fan who is prepared to pay over the odds. But a property is worth what a property is worth.

"They can come knocking if they want. Give me a number in an envelope and whoever has the biggest number can have it."

The agent added that he was unsure what to do with his building's new embellishment but said he would be sure to keep it on its wall.

Earlier today, the new mural which appeared on the side of the building was confirmed as a Banksy.

The large mural was discovered on Sunday morning on the side of a block of flats on Hornsey Road, in the Finsbury Park area of Islington.

A mass of green has been painted behind a leafless tree to look like foliage. Beside it is a young girl holding a pressure hose.

The graffiti artist confirmed the work on Instagram with an image of the wall before the mural was put up.

Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington for North, has commented on the artwork on Twitter describing it as "wonderful".

Banksy is one of the world's most famous artists, but his identity remains officially unknown.

Read more: Man arrested after anti-war Banksy piece was ‘stolen from street’ hours after authenticity confirmed

Another piece of street art - a traffic stop sign covered with three aircraft resembling military drones - was put up in Peckham, south-east London, in December.

The anti-war message was removed less than an hour after Banksy confirmed it was genuine online.

Witnesses saw the artwork being removed by a man with bolt cutters prompting two arrests.