London’s housing market has once again caused a stir after an estate agent’s listing in the upscale Belsize Park area was shared on Reddit.
The listing described the second-floor flat as having ‘0 bedrooms,’ despite being listed for £1,850 a month.
The advertisement, posted by Salter Rex, detailed the property as comprising one living room and one bathroom, omitting any mention of a dedicated bedroom.
This unusual description sparked widespread surprise and debate on Reddit, with many questioning whether the listing was an error or a deliberate marketing tactic.
Would you pay £1,850 to live in a studio apartment?
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Yes
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No
‘I charitably assumed it was a typing error,’ one user said in the subreddit r/london.
‘Either a typo or they actually mean Studio…’ another added.
And one wrote: ‘Terrible marketing. May as well have put really f***ing small flat.’
On closer inspection, the flat’s living room contains a ‘clever, hidden pull-down bed,’ effectively making the property a studio flat with a combined living and sleeping area — a common, if sometimes controversial, arrangement in London’s highly competitive rental market.
A floor plan from the listing confirmed this layout: a single room serving as both reception and bedroom, complemented by a small kitchen, bathroom, and entrance hall. At 388 square feet, the flat is relatively compact.
Despite the practical use of space-saving furniture, many commenters expressed astonishment at the rent level.
Some users jokingly lamented paying such a premium for a minimalist setup without a separate bedroom, while defenders of the price highlighted the location as a key factor.
One user joked: ‘Some people’s lifestyles are so busy that a bedroom can actually get in the way. Baths can double as casserole dishes, doors as dining tables.’
Another called the price ‘ludicrous’ while someone else called it ‘crazy’, and many compared the cost to rent prices outside of London.
‘That’s just over four months rent for my 4-bed in Wales,’ one user said.
Meanwhile,another countered: ‘It’s a studio in one of the most expensive areas of the UK. Why all the drama?’
And one person wrote: ‘Most studios in the area are way smaller, like 25sqm.’
Situated on Fellows Road in Belsize Park, between Swiss Cottage and Chalk Farm Underground stations in north-west London, the area is known for its affluence, with average house prices around £1.2 million, according to Rightmove.
The area’s appeal is boosted by celebrity residents, with Jude Law, Tom Hiddleston and Noel Gallagher all reported to have lived in the area, and its proximity to green spaces such as Regent’s Park.
Its desirability, supported by excellent transport links and amenities, drives up rental costs.
The debate over this ‘zero-bedroom’ flat forms part of a wider context in Belsize Park’s property market, where larger flats with more conventional layouts command significantly higher prices.
For example, a one-bedroom flat in the area listed by Salter Rex is on sale for £775,000, offering a mezzanine bedroom with a pull-down bed, a separate kitchen and access to communal gardens.
Meanwhile, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment can be rented for around £2,750 monthly.
This phenomenon of small, expensive flats is not unique to Belsize Park.
Central London neighbourhoods such as Bloomsbury and Knightsbridge have seen exceptionally compact properties, sometimes with unconventional bedroom arrangements, selling or renting at premium prices.
An illustrative case occurred earlier this year in Knightsbridge near Harrods, where a flat smaller than a parking space — with only a single bed, wardrobe, and kitchenette — was marketed at £270,000.
These trends reflect the ongoing challenges of London’s housing market, where intense demand and soaring prices force residents to accept reduced living spaces and creative sleeping solutions.
While studio flats with pull-down beds provide practical options for some, others see them as symptomatic of a growing affordability crisis in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
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