London’s smallest flat

Surely this is the smallest flat in London.

At 62 square feet (5.75 m2), it’s not that there isn’t room to swing a cat – there is hardly room for a cat at all.

To Anny Hsu, however, it is home – and being only 5ft 2in probably helps.

The flat began its life as a storage cupboard on the third floor of Viscount Court, Pembridge Villas, an Edwardian block in Notting Hill.

It is made up of a “living area” that is 7ft 6in by 3ft 4in and consists of a shower room, kitchenette and a wardrobe space. Counted in the floor space is the mezzanine (of sorts) which houses the bed.

The sleeping area, 7ft 6in by 3ft, is strictly single. It is above the living area and is reached by ladder – so when the previous tenant, a young Italian nurse, broke her arm in a skiing accident, she had to move out.

Gordon Blausten of estate agent Bruten & Co, which let the flat to Ms Hsu for £135 a week, describes it as “tiny but trendy”, with wood flooring, glass walls and chrome fittings.

Mr Blausten said: “The flat is suitable for a young person with an active social life. It is well located for the fashionable shops of Ledbury Road, Westbourne Grove and Portobello Road.”

If only there was somewhere to put your shopping. But Ms Hsu, 24, who works for a West End advertising company, is happy just to have her own front door after living in shared flats.

“It’s great,” she said. “The location is exactly where I wanted to be. The building is very secure and it’s a perfect base for work and socialising. Inside, the flat is a very well thoughtout space, nicely designed and finished. I suppose it helps that I’m only 5ft 2in.

“Obviously I can’t have much here, but I managed to squeeze in a chest of drawers. I’m very pleased with it.”

The flat was created in 1980 by a freeholder of the building who lived in Carlisle but frequently visited London on business. The current owner bought it in a poor state of repair for next to nothing and it stood empty for several years.

It was refurbished last year and let to the nurse in less than a week. Ms Hsu moved in a few weeks ago.

Mr Blausten said the flat would be worth about £100,000. A one-bedroom flat in the same block sold last year for almost £300,000.

By This is London

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