Londoners have been left baffled by an advertisement for a flat costing £1,850 per month – despite it having ‘no bedrooms’.
The ‘0 bedroom’ second floor flat in the affluent Belsize Park area in Hampstead has caused a storm after being shared on social media this week.
Advertised by estate agents Salter Rex, the ‘beautiful’ property is listed as having one living room and one bathroom, but no bedrooms.
A picture of a leaflet in the agent’s window was shared to the Reddit thread r/London, with one person writing: ‘Renting in London – now I have seen it all.’
But, although people were quick to assume the ‘0 bedroom’ caveat was merely a ‘typo’, the listing explained that it had a ‘clever, hidden pull-down bed’ in the living room.
Indeed, a floor plan of the flat shows that the main room is a combined ‘reception room and bedroom’.
While this is common practice for studio flats, people remained astonished at the price and admitted the wording of the leaflet was ‘unusual’.
The anonymous Reddit user shared: ‘I feel like this would usually euphemistically be described as a studio, but they didn’t even try here. Is this normal language?
‘Presumably the sofa is a sofa bed?! Rent is more than my 1 bed- infinitely more rooms! I’m feeling pretty flush by comparison.’
One person joked in the comments: ‘Look at billy big bucks over here wanting a bedroom’, while another said: ‘0 bedrooms, 1 existential crisis. £1,850 to experience luxury claustrophobia.’
Another added: ‘I think the next stage is when you pay £1850 for a viewing.’
However, others pointed out that having a pull-down bed in a studio flat is common and is a good way to save on living space.
They wrote: ‘Has nobody ever heard of a studio before? Admittedly the price is ludicrous though’;
‘Honestly, having seen my share of “studios” – some of which are rather bleak, this is actually kinda nice!
‘Also, in this instance you are also paying a premium for being on the doorstep of Regents park, in a nice area, close to the tube’;
‘It’s a studio in one of the most expensive areas of the UK. Why all the drama?’
Belsize Park is a popular celebrity haunt and the likes of actress Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton are known to have lived in the upmarket neighbourhood.
Tom Hiddleston and Jude Law have also lived in the posh area, where house prices average at £1,236,191, according to Rightmove.
The listing on the estate agent’s website says the flat is in ‘superb condition’ with wooden floors throughout and is in a sought-after location on Fellows Road between Belsize Park and Chalk Farm, in the north west of the city.
Despite having a combined reception room and bedroom, the flat has a separate small kitchen and bathroom, as well as an entrance hall.
The total size of the flat measures 388 square feet.
Surprisingly, the Belsize Park isn’t the only flat in London to come without an essential bed.
In August, another pokey property in Bernard Street, Bloomsbury, also seemed to be lacking a bed, despite only being a stone’s throw away from Russell Square and the British Museum.
However, the £2,295-a-month property does come with a sizeable kitchen with all the essentials including freezer, washer/dryer and microwave.
There’s even a small, deep bath – known as a Japanese-style soaking tub – with overhead shower.
Another shocking flat, opposite Harrods in the heart of Knightsbridge, hit the market in March for £270,000 – despite being smaller than a parking space.
The Brompton Road flat was so small it only had room only for a single bed, wardrobe and a tiny microwave and hob.
