Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Hannah Phillips & Sam Elliott-Gibbs

'Depressing' one-bed flat for rent compared to prison cell and trolled by househunters

A property dubbed the most depressing one-bed flat ever has been compared to notorious prison Strangeways.

The landlord was forced to remove his adverts after it was ruthlessly slammed online by furious house hunters.

The renters swarmed after seeing the pad appear on Facebook marketplace on Wednesday.

Described as a 'one-bed, one-bath flat' in Bolton, Greater Manchester, many were angry that the landlord was demanding £300 per month.

Shocking images show a single 'unmade' and 'stained' bed against the wall next to a single socket - with what appears to be the previous or existing tenant's phone on charge and two bottles of water as they only other items in the entire flat.

One compared the tiny Bolton flat to Josef Fritzl's dungeon (Kennedy News and Media/Facebook/Copyright unkown)
The stick was so much that the landlord hauled the ad offline (Kennedy News and Media/Facebook/Copyright unkown)

The property elicited dozens of jokes comparing it to a prison cell, with many asking what time 'lights off' was or when visiting hours were.

Others were so furious they called for the advert to be taken down - which after being bombarded with hundreds of comments across the multiple listings, all were removed the same day.

Commenter Mark Keohane added: "F*** me. Even cells have decent windows. You absolute joke ripping people off with this hamster cage."

Lindita Hope wrote: "Seen bigger cells."

David Bowen said: "HMP Farnworth."

Cheeky house-hunters asked if he was paying people to live there (Kennedy News and Media/Facebook/Copyright unkown)
It was called-prison like as users piled into the owner on after he posted that the property was for rent (Kennedy News and Media/Facebook/Copyright unkown)

One commented: "Seen compounds in better nick in Afghanistan."

Another suggested it was an 'escape room' - comparing it to the popular game in which contestants are locked in generally unpleasant or even horror-like rooms and have a time limit to find their way out.

Numerous users said the property was so bad they felt compelled to request the ad be taken down while others suggested the tenant should be paid to live there instead.

One commenter wrote: "Disgusting. Take the ad down."

Another added: "You're having a laugh? You give the tenant £300 for staying in that? Yes?"

One said: "You're taking the p*ss. Clean it, put some furniture in there and decorate it. I'm not even lieing when I say most jail cells are better than this.

Some of the comments online were brutal (Kennedy News and Media)

"You can't rent that out. I'd hang myself if I ended up in that."

A fourth added: "What is the world coming to when you ask a price like that for a shocking place like this. My dog sleeps in a better place [...]. Greed comes to mind."

However, while the overwhelming majority condemned the flat, a small number of commenters defended the advert and suggested anyone looking to rent the room could bring their own furniture.

One said: "I've paid more for a worse looking room than that. You don't have to use that bed! Bring your own? Scrubbers on here."

Another wrote: "Why do all of you have a problem with it? He has listed the room on rent. If you don't need the room or think it's not up to standard just ignore it. What's the point of criticism."

But among the jokes about the rental, some feared that a vulnerable person would be forced to take the room.

One said: "The sad thing is that it will be taken up by some desperate person who needs a place to stay.

"Possibly one who can't afford a bond or they don't have legitimate documentation to secure a home. This is a clear example of robbing the vulnerable!

"So wrong. You should be ashamed of yourself. £300 for that."

The landlord declined to comment.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.