Bizarre apartment listing demands tenants leave on weekends, endure violin lessons and ban guests

When renting a place, tenants typically consider factors like affordability, location, size, layout, amenities, and most importantly, lease terms. But what if none of these matter to a landlord, and only strict rules regarding guests, pets, timings, and more are emphasized? This was highlighted in a bizarre rental ad for an apartment in North London, posted on the UK-based platform Spare Room. The unusual listing was specifically aimed at working professionals who have no interest in spending weekends at the apartment, as shared in a widely circulated post by content creator Sophia (@0ldoini on X, formerly Twitter).

“Anyone looking for a single bedroom with no heating where you can’t make noise and can only be home from 8:30 pm to 8 am (weekdays only)? Here’s one for a bargain (£1350 or $1,646)!” Sophia wrote, sharing pictures of the now-deleted listing. As strange as it may seem, the owner advertising the apartment near Hampstead Heath Park was clearly not interested in sharing the space. In fact, the landlord insisted that tenants endure her violin lessons every Monday to Thursday from 4:00 to 8:30 p.m. “Lovely room available by Hampstead Heath Park,” remarked Alice Bowmer, attempting to boast about the subpar listing, as per Daily Dot.

As per the screenshots of the listing, the 38-year-old landlord, who happens to be a researcher and music teacher, was looking for a lodger with very few expectations. Although the flat was located on a quiet street in South End Green/Gospel Oak, the owner believed it was entirely the tenant’s responsibility to maintain peace. “I am looking for a quiet, clean, and friendly person to lodge here. You will have use of the kitchen, bathroom, and your bedroom. I work long hours from the living room, so this area is not available for use. This space would ideally suit someone working long hours in the city during the week and leaving the city for the weekends,” it stated.

Furthermore, the listing promised a high-ceiling room with dimensions of 2m x 4m. It included a bed, wardrobe, table, blackout blind and a heater with a timer. Instead of central heating, the one-bedroom unit had electric heaters installed, along with a dishwasher and washing machine available for use in the kitchen. “I am also teaching the violin here in the evenings from 4–8:30 pm, Monday to Thursday. While this takes place on a different floor from the bedroom I am offering, it would be audible, so this room would suit someone who is not home until after 8:30 pm,” the landlord added.

Additionally, the house rules mentioned in the ad did not permit tenants to invite guests or pets to live with them, restricted noise after 11 pm, and required the kitchen and bathroom to be kept strictly clean. For all of this, the occupants were expected to shell out a monthly rent of £1,350 ($1,646), with basic amenities such as electricity and Wi-Fi included. “She (Alice) bought the flat for £686k in 2021, by the way. She just wants a tenant to pay off a large chunk of her mortgage while not really living there at all,” Sophia concluded in her viral thread, inviting reactions. “So basically, this person wants a ghost to pay for haunting her flat,” @Sneekychalker joked. “You'd get a 4-bed detached rental for that in other parts of the country. That is madness,” @LaneyGB80 asserted.