14th Jul 2026 (7 days ago)
? 1 Star estate agent based on our experience<br>We made a 775-mile round trip to view a semi detached Pool Street after reading the property description and speaking to 2 members of the team over a 10-day period before booking our appointment. We were extremely disappointed by what we found and felt there was a lack of honesty and transparency about the ‘true’ condition of the property. Yet even now they are saying someone lived in it prior to being put up for sale.<br>The listing describes the property as being "in need of repair and modernisation" with "outstanding potential for improvement." In our opinion, this significantly understates its condition. What we found was, in our view, an uninhabitable property, not one that simply required updating.<br>During our viewing we observed:<br><br>*Extensive damp, with what appeared to be an active external drainage leak running down the wall. The leak was still live during our visit, with water visibly escaping and contributing to the damp. (yes photos show damp but not the extent that you see of course)<br>* Rotten ceilings, which appeared consistent with a roof that requires major attention.<br>* Rotten floors under rotten carpets.<br>* Blown double-glazed units throughout, with heavily corroded window frames and handles.<br><br>We also questioned statements made about the heating system. We were told the boiler was around 4 years old, but based on what we saw, we found this difficult to reconcile. There also appeared to be issues with the gas installation, including a gas fire that gave us cause for concern, we would have expected to see evidence of it being condemned for use!<br><br>We appreciate that renovation projects come in all forms, and as experienced renovators we are not put off by properties needing work by any means, but this was merely a shell by time you strip back all the structural issues and never should have been priced as it was. For £30k more you can buy a sound structural home near by. Buyers deserve an accurate and more honest description so they can decide whether a viewing is worthwhile….<br><br>Had the property been marketed as requiring comprehensive renovation and being unsuitable for immediate occupation, we would not have spent an entire day travelling to view it.<br><br>Whilst we get that a marketed property with any agent is ‘open to interpretation’, the team in the office should have shown more honesty when talking to potential clients.<br><br>Interestingly, the viewers before us, who also appeared to be investors, left the property saying, "Get a mask before you go in." That alone speaks volumes about its condition!….<br><br>We left feeling that the marketing material did not fairly represent the property's true state, resulting in a wasted day, considerable travel costs and complete disappointment.<br>There are many positive reviews for Karen Potter Estate Agents, but our experience was very different.<br><br>We believe estate agents have a responsibility not only to market a property on behalf of their client but also to present its condition fairly and accurately to prospective buyers. In our opinion, this property was marketed in a way that significantly understated the extent of the work required. The photos speak for themselves I think, would you think it’s acceptable to allow a family member live in a property like this?... Read more