House hunters spot ‘death stairs’ in derelict house

A property listing in the US has caused a stir online after house hunters spotted a slew of safety hazards in the living room. 

From the outside, the three-bedroom house in Eureka, California blends in with neighbouring homes. 

With its dark timber cladding and neat tiled roof, it looks like any other modest suburban house. 

But inside it’s a very different story.

In every room there are signs of severe damage. 

The kitchen benches have been torn out, bringing large chunks of plaster with them. 

Exposed timber battens and foam insulation are spilling out of the living room walls. 

The walls are covered in black mould and there is a hole the size of a basketball in the ceiling. 

A precarious-looking ladder stands in place of a staircase. Several of the treads are missing, rendering it unusable. 

The property listing garnered attention on Reddit, with many dubbing the ladder “death stairs”.

Other users expressed bewilderment that the house was built, as the listing states, in 2015.

“How do you ruin a house that’s only ten years old?” one person commented. 

The listing is open about the home’s status as a fixer-upper, describing it as a “great opportunity to earn some sweat equity”. 

The property was bought in April this year by a housing limited liability company as part of a foreclosure sale. 

Six months on, the house is back on the market. 

A legal disclaimer at the bottom of the listing notes the sale is subject to the California Civil Code Sections 2924m and 2924o, indicating this is also a foreclosure sale. 

In December 2024, Humboldt County issued a Substandard Housing and Notice to Vacate Order for the house, citing “safety issues” and “unsanitary conditions”. 

At the time, it was a rental property. 

The code enforcement notice and order was ultimately withdrawn.