'Nail house' couple refuse to move
Pictures of elderly couple’s home go viral on internet
The owners of a five-story “nail house” situated in the middle of a huge dual carriageway in eastern Zhejiang province say they won’t move until they receive adequate compensation.
Chinese media reported on Friday that the couple was angry with the small amount of compensation being offered to them by the local government to move out of their home.
Luo Baogen, 67, and his wife, 65, spent more than 600,000 yuan (HK$746,194) building their “nail house” in Wenling city in 2001. In China, buildings which stick out and are difficult to remove are often called as “nail houses”.
Most of the couple’s neighbours have moved after the government started buying back land from local farmers to build roads. But Luo refused because the authorities would only pay him 260,000 yuan.
“It would take at least 800,000 yuan to rebuild the house at another location,” explained Luo. The couple still has mains electricity, running water and cable television, according to the Shanghai Daily.
Luo told reporters he would not move until he was paid more money to build a new home. He dismissed claims by government officials that he had already agreed to move as “lies”.