A YouTuber exploring the UK's property market has uncovered the shocking state of some London homes, including a £2.2 million house near Buckingham Palace left in a filthy, unliveable condition and a Lewisham property where rooms were found carpeted with dead pigeons.
Pimlico's Million-Pound Nightmare
David Burnip, who runs the Wandering Turnip YouTube channel, visited a five-bedroom mid-terrace house in Pimlico, located just a mile from Buckingham Palace. The property was listed for an eye-watering £2.2 million, but the interior told a very different story from its prestigious postcode.
Upon entering, David was met with pervasive dirt and grime. "It's just dirty," he reported. "Everywhere's dirty. And there were rooms that are trashed. Just no care given at all." He expressed disbelief that the owners hadn't cleaned the property before putting it on the market, describing the scene as "totally grim."
The house also revealed a failed plan to convert it into three separate flats. This was evidenced by the presence of three utility meters and liability for three separate council tax bills. The conversion was clearly abandoned, leaving one bathroom with a completely collapsed ceiling, scattering plasterboard and rubble across the floor.
Bizarre Hazards and Auction Withdrawal
The property's oddities didn't end there. One room was inexplicably scattered with sharp carpet tacks, a hazard David remarked on with dry sarcasm. Despite its substantial size and potentially nice features, the house was in what he called an "absolute state."
David was unequivocal in his judgement, stating, "It is just despicable that a £2.2million house is on the market in this condition." Just before its scheduled auction, the property was withdrawn from sale, suggesting the seller may have realised a professional clean could significantly increase its final selling price.
A Lewisham Horror Story
David's tour of London's property market uncovered an even more disturbing case in Lewisham. A detached house, priced at £500,000, looked structurally unsound from the outside. However, the interior was far worse.
"This house was insane on the inside," David explained. "Some of the rooms were literally carpeted with the bodies of dead pigeons, and the smell of damp and foul was overpowering." He described the feeling inside as "deadly," with every ceiling collapsed and floorboards dangerously waterlogged, creating an experience he likened to "a horror movie."
He found it "criminal" that the property was marketed in such a state and that viewings were permitted. Despite its horrifying condition, the market's appetite proved insatiable. The nine-bedroom house exceeded its reserve price at auction and sold for a staggering £661,000—£161,000 over its asking price.
These viewings highlight the extreme pressures and bizarre realities of the UK housing market, where location can seemingly trump even the most appalling physical state of a property.
