Local fears rent will 'skyrocket' as Banksy confirms first piece of 2024

Banksy has confirmed that a new piece of art in North London is genuinely one of theirs.

The mysterious artist claimed the mural of bright green patterns strategically placed behind the bare husk of a tree was the real thing in an Instagram post today (18 March).

Beside a peeling white wall on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, there stood a tree, or at least the trunk and branches of one with not a jot of greenery to adorn it.

Perhaps that's why Banksy chose it as a location to crack out the green paint and get to work, and some local residents have been overjoyed at the new piece of art.

Hornsey Road resident Wanja Sellers told PA they were 'proud and delighted that Banksy chose our road', and said it was 'nice and festive' to get a big green bit of artwork on St Patrick's Day.

"The way it’s been done with the paint spraying down reminds me of a weeping willow, so there’s perhaps a message about the struggle of nature with the dead tree in front," said fellow road resident Lidia Guerra.

“It’s just great – when we read about it last night, we knew we to come and see it as soon as possible.

“We feel so proud to think he chose our street.”

Many people have come to have a look at the new Banksy, but not everybody is as happy about the new Banksy being added to their road.

Local man James posted pictures last night (17 March) of the new Banksy to Twitter and said: "Now my rent will skyrocket."

He said he was 'scared my landlord is going to triple my rent now' that there's a piece by a famous artist on the road, and we're already talking about London prices here.

Plenty of landlords don't even need a reason to hike the rent up, so the building getting a Banksy might turbocharge the instincts of someone looking to pinch a few more pennies for what is functionally going to be the same home for the tenant.

Then again, a number of pieces of artwork by Banksy have not survived long in the wild, whether that be because someone has graffitied over them or due to the council covering it up.

In general, a landlord can't increase the rent more than once a year without the tenant's agreement, and if it's a fixed term contract they can only hike up the rent mid-term if you agree.

However, we can all guess that a landlord with a tenant who doesn't want to pay the higher rent will go fishing for someone that will.