Homeowner ‘spends £20,000 doing up wrong property’

Buying a house is a hugely exciting event, but one man in China seemed to get carried away in the moment when he did not notice he was renovating the wrong property.

Gui Lizhong bought flat 4-2 in an apartment block in Chongqing and, after taking control of the keys to the complex, began doing up what he thought was his new home.

But he had in fact stepped inside flat 4-1 – and worst of all, he spent £20,000 on the job before he realised his error.

The mistake only came to light when flat 4-1's real owner Long Nengyun turned up and offered to show Mr Lizhong the paperwork that proved he owned the abode.

"I viewed the house twice before I signed the contract. The property agent showed me this particular unit," Mr Lizhong claimed.

But his argument fell on deaf ears, as Mr Long was able to prove that he had in fact purchased the dwelling in 2011.