Leeds in the 1980s: The ‘attractions’ advertised by a house seller in your Yorkshire Evening Post

A jungle in the back garden, cracked ceilings and a damp lounge - the ‘attractions’ which a Leeds man hoped would help sell a home.

Cyril Jeffries announced them all in an advertisement in your Yorkshire Evening Post in July 1988.

Cyril Jeffries pictured outside the house he was trying to sell on Middleton Park Mount. | YPN

placeholder image — Cyril Jeffries pictured outside the house he was trying to sell on Middleton Park Mount. | YPN

The advertisement for the property on Middleton Park Mount, read: “MIDDLETON. Vacant possession, end terrace, three beds, cracked ceilings, damp lounge, living room needs rewiring, kitchen, large rose jungle, noisy buses, shops. £21,000. Tel. Leeds 520803.”

Mr Jeffries, a 60-year-old railway signalman, said: “I’m hoping that people will want to see the house because they are curious about the way it is advertised.

“It has brought a lot more people to see it. People came before it was advertised conventionally but they only went away again when they saw what needed doing.”

Then house belonged to Mr Jeffries’ parents, Frederick and Laura, who lived in a nursing home. Mr Jeffries and his wife Betty lived at Tingley.

He said they had been trying to sell the house for “a few months “ and had already reduced the price by £950.

Mr Jeffries said the house was built in around 1930 and cracked ceilings were due to the house “settling”, but added: “You can do wonders with a pot of paint and some plaster filler.”

He said that the back garden was overgrown but it could soon looks as good as those of neighbouring houses.

And he added that the home was convenient for buses and shops.