A landlord has sparked outrage after advertising a single room in a London flat for £1,022 per month with a number of stringent conditions.
The potential lodger will live with the female landlord, who works as a lawyer, and her eight-year-old son in Merchant Square, Paddington. However, they will be prohibited from using the kitchen to cook daily meals and will only be able to occasionally batch cook dinners and heat them up in a microwave in their room.
The landlord also states that the lodger won't have access to the living room in the 'modern' home because she values 'privacy'.
The advert reads: 'Spacious, modern room in a new-build with 24/7 secure entrance, in a premium canal-side location: Merchant Square, Paddington W2. Room has its own appliances and essentials (no sharing): under-counter fridge/freezer, microwave, kettle, air fryer, hob, TV, fan, iron & ironing board.'
The advert also explained that the room includes a desk and a new chair, which is 'ideal for work from home', but later says that the lodger should only do this for 'up to two days a week'.
The advert was later shared on X, and attracted a slew of negative comments, with one saying: 'Can't go in the lounge and they don't want people cooking? They just want someone shut in their room eating microwave meals.'
A landlord has caused a storm on social media after advertising a single room in London for £1,022 per month - but the lodger can't access the living room.
'If you're not willing to treat your tenant like an actual human then I don't think you should lease out a room and should probably just downsize,' said another. A third wrote: 'Totally diabolical.' Another added: 'I just know it will be hell for anyone that takes this offer.'
The advert continues: 'The living room is not shared (we value privacy), but there is a large shared communal garden downstairs with sun loungers. Price reflects the non-shared living room. Not for cooking enthusiasts or daily cooks - light or batch cooking is fine. The room has its own microwave, fridge/freezer, kettle etc and you will be expected to use that. The dishwasher in the kitchen is shared.'
The benefits of the flat, as listed, include bills being included, high-speed broadband, and a weekly cleaner. The ad concluded: 'Ideal for a busy professional who values a calm, tidy home and their own space — preferably female (and if you happen to be a lawyer too, even better). If you message, please include: your role, typical working hours, intended move-in date, and expected length of stay.'
It comes after a family of four who ditched their terraced London home to move to an abandoned mansion in the countryside will fork out 'hundreds of thousands' to transform the 'mouldy' property to its former glory. The flat, located in Merchant Square, Paddington, is looking for a lodger to fill the spare bedroom for £1,022 per month. While the flat doesn't come with access to the living room - the lodger can relax in the communal garden. The bathroom is, however, shared between the lodger, the female landlord and her eight-year-old child.
Ben Charles Edwards, 42, and his husband Sam, 34, decided to move out of the city, so that their two sons, eight and five, would have more space to play and have adventures. After going for a drive just outside Canterbury, Ben, a film producer, and Sam, a model, spotted an enormous 11,000 sq ft Georgian property, Lawn House, that had been turned into a care home, and left to rot since 2017. They immediately fell in love, and purchased the home for £1million, before moving in in February 2026. Despite moving, however, the main house is currently uninhabitable, with leaks everywhere, tons of mould, and part of the roof missing. The family are currently living in a wing at the back of the house that was built by the care home, so is far more modern than the rest of the property.
