Unbelievable life of Britain’s richest plumber Charlie Mullins could only afford 1 meal a day as a kid on council estate
FROM growing up on an “absolutely disgusting” council estate to splurging £100 million in just three years, Britain’s richest plumber has revealed his desperate rags to riches tale.
It wasn’t always Rolls Royces and and million pound pay packets for Charlie Mullins, 71, who has opened up about his previous struggles to afford more than one meal a day.
The London-born tradesman grew up on an “absolutely disgusting” council estate, investing the little money he had to his name in the hope of earning a small fortune.
A self-made man, he now owns a luxury London penthouse and even has Tom Jones as a neighbour.
From humble beginnings, Charlie claims the wisest business decision he made as an apprentice was to save up his earnings for a full bag of tools.
He said: “Every time I had some money, I would buy another [tool].”
The plumber began working from the age of 10 and after a spate of bunking off eventually left school without any qualifications.
After completing a four-year apprenticeship, Charlie scraped enough cash to buy a second-hand van saying he was inspired by the Thatcher “revolution” and the “mantra of the self-made man“.
Since then, Charlie has befriended the likes of Simon Cowell and Dame Joan Collins.
The son of a factory worker and cleaner found his motivation from wanting to escape the Rockingham estate in south London that he was born into.
Charlie told Money Week: “Getting out of that life was the main thing that drove me on when I was a kid. I knew I didn’t want to spend all my life on the Rockingham.”
Even the Financial Times has written of his success due to the profitable sale of the business.
After claiming a staggering sum for his hard work, the 71-year-old has been “mainly living the good life” ever since.
Despite suggesting he would never sell his shares in Pimlico Plumbers, following months of negotiations Charlie raked in hundreds of millions over night in a deal estimated to be worth £145 million.
Selling his stake to the American “home service” giant Neighborly, the entrepreneur even left ten percent to his son, Scott, allowing him to continue as chief executive.
After receiving his millions, Charlie has never been short of ideas for what he hopes to splash the cash on next.
He said: “F***ing hell, I can’t believe it. I think I’ve been celebrating for three years since.
“I’ve got rid of about £100million, I don’t find that difficult to say. I’m pleased to have done that, I’d never want to be the richest man in the graveyard.
“I’ve bought villas in Marbella and am building a villa too, I’m buying property in Dubai and have spent a lot of time in America. I always fly first-class.”
Holidays that “easily cost £100,000” and seven-star hotels with bills of up to £125,000 are also part of the luxurious life that Charlie now leads, choosing to attend holiday locations because “it’s where all the film stars used to go”.
The self-proclaimed straight talking media commentator now hopes to pour his leftover millions into Spain and Dubai, fearing Labour’s looming tax raid.
Putting his £12 million penthouse up for sale, Charlie has revealed to The Telegraph that he hopes to have “no assets in the UK whatsoever”.
The former Tory donor and now backer of Reform UK believes that “anybody that’s wealthy can jump ship whenever they want”.
He added: “I’m selling my property because of the inheritance tax. It’s a £12m property – if I lose £6m, I’m brown bread. Family would go mad.
“I’ll have no investments here, no bank account here. It’s all in the process now. I think my last tax bill is January and that’s me done.”
Charlie hopes to make his quick financial escape just weeks before he opens a new plumbing venture, WeFix.
Pitched as “the Harrods of the handyman world” the millionaire will take on the role of founder with all profits headed straight to his children’s family trust.