Piano buying advice needed

[warp9]

Hi. We recently stayed in a cottage that had a piano which my wife enjoyed tinkling on as she had lessons as a child and our son, albeit he's only 2, enjoyed having a bash. I've heard how cheap they are at the moment and a quick search on Ebay confirms this, anything from a few pounds upwards.

So, I'd like to get one, really for a bit of fun and having a go, but I have absolutely no idea what to look for. It doesn't need to be top of the range, but needs to work and make a decent sound.

Can anyone advise on what to look for, brands, questions to ask, how much and easy to tune or fix and any other considerations for someone in my position?

Oh, BTW I mean an upright piano and I live in Birmingham!

Cheers