If there was ever a property to make you despair about the state of London’s housing market, this is it. 75 Camden Mews has collapsed ceilings, piles of rubbish and is uninhabitable. And it is yours for upwards of £925,000.
From the outside, it is hard to tell the extent of the property’s condition.
There are clues: the overgrown bushes bursting over the black fence surrounding it; the window at the front that appears to be permanently open.
But, these things aside, it looks like a relatively innocuous end of terrace house.
Inside, though, it’s a different story. Photos show gaping holes in almost every ceiling. The floors are barely visible, piled high with mountains of crisp packets, milk cartons, plastic wrapping.
The largest mound of rubbish is in the kitchen, where the cabinet doors are hanging from their hinges and where the worktops are covered with glass bottles, rubbish and dust – presumably from the hole in the ceiling directly above.
The open-plan living room and dining space might once have overlooked the garden area through its full-height windows. Today, though, it is filled with debris: cardboard boxes, cabinets, towels, insulation, big chunks of the ceiling.
There are two bedrooms and a shower room on the ground floor, and a further bedroom and bathroom upstairs, none of which appear to be fit for human habitation.
Putting it mildly, the listing reads: “The property requires a program of refurbishment.”
The property is going under the hammer with Auction House London on 10 December with a guide price of £925,000. It is being marketed as a redevelopment opportunity.
The house was built in the 1980s, after planning permission to build on the derelict site was granted in 1978.
In 1987, further plans to construct a first-floor rear extension were rejected because it was deemed out of keeping with the character of the area, and because it would obstruct the light to neighbouring properties.
According to the auctioneers, the building has been in the same family ownership for over 35 years. It was once the seller’s home, who initially had plans to renovate the property. The project, apparently, was put on hold, and over time, the house fell into disrepair.
Now, says Auction House London, the seller is hoping for an ambitious buyer who will bring new energy to the house.
“Yes, the images are extreme, but this is Camden, NW1. In this location, even the most unattractive properties hold real promise,” says Andrew Binstock, Auctioneer at Auction House London.
“It’s a freehold corner site, and for the right buyer, this is a golden opportunity to redevelop and create something truly special.”
Other semi-detached properties on Camden Mews, a quiet, cobbled street which runs parallel to Camden Road, have sold for an average of £1.525 million in the last five years, according to Rightmove.
The house, which measures just 1,093 square feet, sits on a 1,830-square-foot plot.
Despite the house’s crumbling condition, Auction House London says that the listing has generated a big response. It has attracted over 20,000 views on social media, it says, as well as interest from developers, architects and creative buyers.
“We’ve sold some of the most unappealing properties in the capital. It’s often the ones that need the most work that deliver the biggest return,” says Binstock.
“Auction House London takes pride in its transparent marketing approach, showing properties as they are, even when the condition is less than ideal.
“At auctions, we don’t stage or sugar-coat. We trust buyers to look beyond the surface and recognise the potential.”
