Squatters Rights

In 1987 Harry Hallowes began living among the trees in the gardens of Athlone House, a rambling 19th century palace in north London.
Over the years he has transformed it into a ramshackle collection of tents and other temporary structures and, under the '12-year-rule', last year gained rights to own the land. (Under 'squatters rights', if a property has been lived in for 12 years then it effectively becomes the property of the squatters.)

This came as a shock to the billionaire who had recently bought the property for £16 million and was planning to spend £80 million transforming both the house and its gardens.

You've got to laugh at his luck :)