Neighbours are ‘massively relieved’ as George Michael’s home in London’s upmarket Hampstead area is being restored after it fell into disrepair.

The £10million house was left to the Wham superstar’s sister Yioda Panayiotou following his death in 2016 at age 53.

He had lived in the property for a number of years, having purchased it in 1987, but opted for his Oxfordshire or Highgate mansions in the latter years of his life.

The garden and home had fallen into disrepair during this time and photos from last year showed the home remained untouched in the years since his death.

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However, it appears repairs are now taking place as scaffolding has appeared around the structure and builders were on site on Thursday.

‘We are massively relieved it’s being done up,’ a father of two told Metro, having lived near the house for 20 years.

George Michael’s former home is finally undergoing renovations (Picture: Michael Putland/Getty Images)

Builders were seen at the property after years of it remaining untouched (Picture: John Dunne/ Metro)

Neighbours were relieved work had begun (Picture: John Dunne/ Metro)
‘It was becoming an eyesore in an area where properties are top dollar and shabby stuff sticks out like a sore thumb. There is some building noise but it’s a price worth paying.

‘We obviously all knew who owned it. It’s a relatively small place but with a tremendous location.’

Another local said: ‘It’s an interesting building but was in a right old state. It’s obviously a talking point what with the celebrity connection. The bottom line is that in its current state it’s bad for the area and a facelift will be a good thing.’

While renovations might be making a fair bit of noise in the area, which is also home to Harry Styles and Lewis Capaldi, overall locals were optimistic.

The £10million home has not been occupied since before his death in 2016 (Picture: Camden council)

Cladding is crumbling off the now inhospitable home (Picture: Camden council)
‘The renovation is a good thing and the builders have been very thoughtful and accommodating,’ a third resident shared. ‘They all know it was George Michael’s House which I suppose makes it a special project there’s some stardust on it.’

Most people living nearby did not know the Father Figure legend well, as he was an incredibly private person but did note he was very ‘polite’.

One neighbour said: ‘I think he saw the house a retreat where he hunkered down. He always smiled when I came across him but he wasn’t the type you’d see putting out the bins. Thing is round here there are a lot of famous people and no one bothers them.’

Another added: ‘I’d see him in his car and he’d wave. He was courteous but seemed shy. He was not a “big I am” far from it. He seemed modest and genuine.’

Scaffolding has been put up around the building (Picture: Camden council)
Camden Council’s planning portal hints at the big overhaul needed, including roof repairs, but the extent of the damage is not publicly known.

Michael’s sister Yioda was left the property as part of a £98m inheritance and previously vowed to get it back to a ‘habitable’ condition.

The overgrown garden is reportedly a ‘threat’ to the home now as a huge ‘leaning’ tree standing at eight metres high is cause for concern.

According to the Daily Mail, there is also an 11-metre evergreen thuja tree that is ‘growing within close proximity of the building’.

Landscapers have applied to flatten the offending fauna, which also includes trimming overhanging branches and felling a 13-metre mature Leyland cypress.

It’s not just the garden that needs some serious TLC though as last year an application was put in to rip out and reinstall the entire roof.

There is concern that trees could fall and cause further damage (Picture: Camden council)

A few years ago planning permission was given for the roof to be renovated (Picture: Camden council)
A water tank was also set to be removed during the roof redo as well as the cladding, which is crumbling off the external walls.

In hopes of ‘reinstating the character of the house’, the two garages will be converted into a living area to give a more traditional frontage.

During the Careless Whisper singer’s absence in the early 00s, the house was ransacked with precious jewellery, clothes, and artwork stolen.

Months before his death, Michael’s lawyers put in an objection to a block of flats replacing a mansion at the end of the garden.

The firm Russells, acting on his behalf, wrote the plans would ‘have a negative impact on the character of the local community.’

Michael never returned to live on the property, dying on Christmas Day at his home in Goring, Oxfordshire.

Michael did not live in the home in his latter years (Picture: Camden council)

It was left to his sister in his will (Picture: Camden council)

Michael died in his Goring home on Christmas Day 2016 (Picture: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Two years ago, a superfan of the Wake Me Up icon won planning permission to renovate his former home in Highgate, London.

Stephen Cameron and his wife Clare Harrison bought the Grade-II listed property in 2020 for a cool £19m.

At the time, he said: ‘It’s a beautiful property, stunning and I’m looking forward to living there. I’m also a huge George Michael fan so that makes it even better.’

He added to Mail Online: ‘I know the area really well and have been living in this part of North London for several years. It’s a beautiful house to live in and the whole family is happy.’