A tiny flat in Cardiff could be yours for £650 a month, so long as you don't mind not having a proper bed. The studio apartment on Clive Road in Canton is beautifully furnished and in one of the most sought-after parts of the city, but you'll have to settle for a sofa bed despite the relatively high rent.
The property has been listed on Rightmove by Pontcanna estate agents Moginie James. Among the flat's key features is an enclosed garden, on road parking and the opportunity to obtain residency membership. There is also a no deposit option for tenants.
The description reads: "A very well-presented furnished studio apartment with a garden in Canton. The property comprises kitchen with appliances, lounge/bedroom with sofa bed and en suite shower room. There is on-road parking available. Single occupancy only and sorry no pets."
Read more: Life in the flats where residents claim floors are stained with human faeces
Photos of the property, which has a total floor area of 364 square feet, show that you enter from the shared hallway into a narrow kitchen, which takes you into a stylish living space, complete with a desk, chest of drawers, armchair and TV, while the sofa bed is in the middle of the room.
An enclosed garden has a smart seating area and wooden deck, providing a perfect place to sit out and enjoy the sun during the summer. A snug bathroom with a shower, toilet, sink and shelving units, completes the tour.
Seirian Jones, lettings manager at Moginie James, said the property was in "excellent condition" and that the sofa bed could be replaced by a bed if the tenant wished. She added: "The sofa/bed makes it a versatile space and the landlord is open to putting a bed in instead of the current sofa/bed if a potential tenant wishes which we would discuss with each individual applicant during the registration and viewing process.
"The asking rent for this high-end studio has been based on comparable properties in the area. This particular property is in excellent condition, very nicely furnished and has a bonus of the garden, which is extremely rare for studio apartments in this area to have any outdoor space.
"We have just agreed a long term tenancy for a one bedroom apartment on the same road for £750pcm without a garden to which the tenant was extremely pleased. We feel the price is a fair reflection of the property and the number of enquiries we are receiving reflect this."
The Clive Road property is not the first in Canton to raise a few eyebrows, with another flat nearby containining one room and a bathroom being rented for a high price. You can read more about that here. The area has seen a large spike in house prices over the last few years, with prices soaring by around 9% in the last 12 months alone. This has meant that landlords' prices for rentals have increased significantly too. However, it is a trend repeated across the city.
While average annual wages in Cardiff have increased by nearly 23% in cash terms since 2006 they have actually decreased by nearly 17% in real terms when adjusting for inflation. Meanwhile the average house price in the city has gone from £154,183 to £235,054 in 2021 – a staggering increase of 52.5% over 15 years. The soaring prices have left young, first-time buyers feeling hopeless and scared for the future, having also had to contend with bidding wars and packed-out viewings. You can read our feature with them here.
Ms Jones added: "Cardiff continues to be an attractive area for renters due to the improving job prospects, balanced amenities and strong transport links. Rental prices have increased significantly due to a reduced number of private rented sector properties being available (driven predominately by wildly increasing capital prices of property resulting in a number of landlords selling) and a high demand from tenants in the area.
"Cardiff has seen an average rental price increase over the past 12 months of +9% (Dataloft) whilst average asking rents in Wales are 12.7% higher than this time last year (the latest Rightmove report). This trend follows the majority of the UK where the national average asking rents excluding Greater London are 9.9% higher than this time last year (the latest Rightmove report)."
See the houses for sale where you live by entering your post code here:
