This house is on the market for just £45k – because the inside is covered in bird poo The property offers stunning views over the Bristol channel – but there’s a catch

A four-bed property is being sold for just £45,000 after the owner fled due to a huge problem with pigeon poo – which still covers the inside.

The house (located in a desirable part of Devon) is available for a knock-down price, but estate agents have warned there is a big catch.

Number 1 Coburg Villas in Ilfracombe has been described as a large, terraced house with big rooms, outdoor space and stunning views over the Bristol channel. Prospective buyers have been warned the project is not for the faint-hearted and it needs a lot of work.

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In addition to the missing windows, no staircase to the first floor, fallen in ceilings and several rotten floors, this property has had a serious pigeon poo problem.

‘Massive potential’

The upper floors are absolutely coated in bird faeces and in some places up to two feet thick with the stuff.

Webbers director Lee Hussell said the house was lived in until the end of last year.

He said, “The lady who lived here kept herself to herself and has now moved into rented accommodation.

“The property is in a very sorry state of repair but has massive potential.

“Due to the structural state of the building and the large amount of pigeon waste, which is a hazardous substance, we are not able to offer any viewings on this property.”

Take a virtual tour

A virtual tour of the property was filmed for marketing purposes by Panoptic Motion, which featured a man wearing a large pigeon head hovering behind a door on the third floor.

Hussell added, “The people at Panoptic Motion were able to go in and provide a virtual tour – which obviously has a big surprise on the third floor.

“We knew nothing about this until we looked through it ourselves, but it’s very funny and tongue-in-cheek and the more we can get people talking about this property the better.”

Hussell said the state of the property – as well as the surprise in the virtual tour – has led to tens of thousands of views of the property online.

“It’s gone properly viral – we’ve had people contacting us to say its been shared in Australia,” he said.

“So far thousands of people have seen the property online so I’m hopeful for a fair bit of interest when it comes to auction.”

‘Not for the faint-hearted’

Number 1 Coburg Villas is part of a wider auction lot of properties in Ilfracombe and Woolacombe which will take place at midday on Friday 5 April at the Lantern Centre in Ilfracombe.

On the website the premises is described by Webbers as a “proper renovation project not for the faint-hearted”.

The listing continues, “The house is on the market for the first time in nearly 40 years.

“The three-storey accommodation is in a very poor state of repair with some areas open to the elements and the bay windows in a state of dilapidation and in need of rebuilding.

“There is no staircase to the first with access being required by ladder only and some of the floor areas being held up on acrow props.

“There are several areas of rot and dampness with the property likely to require a complete strip out and re-fit.

“As a result of the works required we can almost certainly say that the property is not suitable for mortgage lending purposes.

“The popular location is just metres from the high street, seafront and picturesque harbour and the many top quality restaurants, bars and small independent shops that the town has to offer.”