In 1980, when Corina Poore, 36 years old and pregnant, first opened the door to a derelict house in New Cross Gate, south-east London, the estate agent refused to step in with her.
Inside were dead cats, dog excrement and filthy mattresses. Pigeons flew in through holes in the roof and there was no indoor toilet. The intense rotting smell was overwhelming.
Still, Corina decided this was her dream home. It was spacious, the £24,000 price was affordable and she was sure that everything was fixable.
After taking out a mortgage, she received a grant of £3,500 from Lewisham council, her local authority, which paid for fixing the ceiling.
"At that point, £3,500 was quite a healthy amount, which I desperately needed," recalls Corina.
