City centre flat could be yours for just £59,000 but comes with major drawback

29 August 2023 , 15:40

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The flat is described as 'uninhabitable' - and would need a lot of work (Image: Jam Press/Auction House Scotland)

A flat in Edinburgh has hit the market for just £59,500 – but there’s a big catch.

Based on Great Junction Street in the Scottish city's Leith area, the one-bedroom home is a huge bargain. But it isn’t for the faint-hearted – and is even listed as “uninhabitable”. The listing pictures show the property in a state of disarray, with rooms chock full of litter. In the bedroom, the bed is falling apart with a stained mattress and a mountain of rubbish piled on top.

The living room-kitchen is no better, with barely an inch of floor visible under stacks of filth, crumbling cabinets and even a ladder propped haphazardously against a window. Elsewhere, piles of bin bags and old clothes are lining the walls. The flat is described on Auction House Scotland as follows: “If you’re looking for a fantastic refurbishment project in hugely popular location then your search is over with this one-bedroom flat in Leith, Edinburgh.

The flat is piled high with rubbish (Jam Press/Auction House Scotland)

“The flat is on the third (top) floor of a traditional tenement block, and enjoys prime position on Great Junction Street, close to a wide array of local leisure and retail options in Leith, and only two miles north east of Edinburgh city centre. The property requires a full programme of refurbishment works, which offers an exciting opportunity to add massive value, whether for ultimate resale, rental or owner/occupier.

“With high demand for rental properties in the area, the post works yield potential is outstanding, and we expect strong levels of demand. We recommend you move quickly to avoid missing out on this one. Council Tax Band: B. Please note that this property is currently uninhabitable so no Home Report will be available.”

London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard

Despite everything, the property is in a great location (Jam Press/Auction House Scotland)

The listing goes on to describe unsafe properties, saying: “Unsafe properties are evidently in a condition that poses a serious risk to the health or safety of occupants or visitors, or where the way the home is marketed suggests it is unsuitable for occupation in that condition. There is little point in a condition survey being undertaken on a home that is unfit for occupation in any case and is being advertised as such.” The home is currently listed with a guide price of £59,500 plus fees.

Ria Newman