A former City of London private equity specialist is embroiled in a £2 million legal battle with his father, alleging he was left homeless and destitute after giving up his career to care for his mother.
Harry Lambert, 42, claims his 80-year-old father, Christopher Lambert, changed the locks on their family home in Redbridge, London, while he was out running. This occurred after a dispute over the sale of a family property in Woodford Green, which Harry alleges his father sold without sharing the promised proceeds with him.
According to Harry's account presented at London's High Court, he returned to the family home in 2023 to assist with his mother's care, having been asked by his father. He states his father promised him long-term, secure accommodation. Before the alleged lock change, Harry had been living in the family home for 20 months and contributed to household expenses while caring for his mother, Maureen.
He is now seeking a court ruling that he is entitled to a 50% share of his mother's estate, valued at approximately £2 million, and wishes to return to the family home. Harry asserts that his current living situation in a council-run House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) flat in Dagenham, which lacks internet access, prevents him from working and has reduced his earning capacity from an estimated £100,000 per year to a state of poverty.
The court heard that tensions escalated, leading to Christopher Lambert installing locks on internal doors, restricting Harry's access to parts of the house. In June 2025, Harry's mother, who had dementia, was moved to a care home. The following month, in August 2025, his father allegedly changed the locks on the main house. Maureen Lambert died in September 2025, leaving her entire estate to her husband.
Christopher Lambert disputes the valuation of the family fortune and denies making any promises to financially support his son. His legal team argued in court that barring him from his own home would be "draconian" and dismissed Harry's claim to exclusive occupancy.
In a preliminary hearing, Judge Richard Farnhill refused Harry Lambert's application to exclusively occupy the family home and denied an order requiring his father to fund his accommodation. However, the judge directed that the trial for Harry's main claim should proceed as soon as possible and granted him access to the family home to retrieve personal belongings, which he estimates to be worth tens of thousands of pounds, including a collection of rare plants.
Harry Lambert has stated his desire to be back in the house, which has been his family home for 40 years. He also mentioned that his father has often been abroad travelling, while he has been unable to work and is relying on Universal Credit.