An iconic house with a 25ft shark sticking out of the roof is now available to rent for $5,000 a month – after the council banned it from being a holiday let.
The owner Dr. Magnus Hanson-Heine lost a planning appeal from Oxford Council to ban Air BnB home rentals.
The quirky four-bed, four-bathroom property on New High Street in Headington, Oxon, also known as Shark House, is now listed on Rightmove and is available to rent for $5,000 a month.
It will be available to rent from 5 March 2025 and the property listing states that bills are included and that students can enquire.
The property is furnished and described in the listing as a “dive into a piece of living art history”.
There is a fully equipped kitchen, laundry, SKY TV and fast Wi-Fi, as well as off-street parking.
For the past five years, Dr Hanson-Heine has been letting the property on Airbnb for short-term stays.
His late father Bill Heine had originally built the sculpture without formal planning permission from Oxford City Council in 1986.
Dr Hanson-Heine has now been informed that he must stop using the property as a short-term rental by March 11, 2025 – a move he believes will damage Oxford’s tourism industry in general.
A listing statement for the property says: “Located in the heart of Headington – Oxford, The Headington Shark House is more than just accommodation; it’s an immersion into a piece of living art history.
“With a stunning 25m fiberglass and steel shark sculpture that spectacularly ‘crashes’ across the roof, this Victorian marvel offers a standout presence.
“Experience the convenience of modern living while being enveloped in a story that has captivated the world.”
“The House of Sharks stands as a testament to creativity, freedom and the voice against conformity. Erected by my late father, Bill Heine, and sculptor John Buckley, it ignited a national debate on public art and personal expression.
“Today, it invites you to ponder its deeper meanings or simply enjoy its whimsical challenge.”
Dr. Hanson-Heine has previously reacted to the short-term ban.
He said: “Certain elements of the council have used this as an excuse to score a few cheap political points by going after a local landmark at the expense of the public.
“This does nothing meaningful to help people looking for homes, and after March all they will have done is rob people who want to experience this part of Oxford’s history from the inside.
“I guess my message would be ‘Come while you can’.”
However, the council has defended the short-term ban on the Shark House.
He said an increase in renting out entire properties for all or most of the year had resulted in “the loss of valuable homes in the UK’s most unaffordable city”.
He added that there are around 3,500 families on the waiting list for social housing in Oxford.
Councilor Linda Smith, Oxford City Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “Where properties have changed from being residential to short let businesses without planning approval, we take enforcement action.
“We live in one of the least affordable places to live in the UK.
“There are around 800 fully let properties in Oxford and we need them for people to live in and not as holiday accommodation.”
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