'Pay £750 to Sleep on a Sofa and Manage My Airbnb': Britain's Rental Market Hits New Low

Would you fork out £750 ($950) a month to sleep on a pull-out sofa—and manage someone else's Airbnb on top of it? A bizarre property listing in London's Crouch End has gone viral after a would-be renter shared screenshots of the advertisement, which asks tenants not only to pay rent but also to act as unpaid Airbnb staff. The eyebrow-raising post has triggered widespread outrage online, highlighting the growing exploitation in Britain's rental market and the urgent need for housing reform.

The Ridiculous Crouch End 'Opportunity'

Originally posted on SpareRoom, the listing was described as a 'furnished studio with a pull-out sofa bed and shared bathroom', located near Crouch Hill Station. However, the so-called 'tenant' would actually be living in the lounge and managing two guest rooms rented out on Airbnb.

'Looking for a live-in Airbnb host to manage 2 other rooms, which are generally rented for week to 2 week stays,' the listing read. The tenant would have access to the kitchen—located next to the sofa—but 'cooking hours may be limited to ensure privacy'.

X user @ashh_tonB, who shared the screenshots, slammed the setup, writing:
'This landlord on SpareRoom wants you to pay £750 a month to have the privilege of looking after his Airbnb and checking guests in. You don't get your own room—you get the living room—and the guests can come in and use the kitchen!'

Internet Reacts: 'It's Basically a Job, Not a Home'

Users across social media platforms branded the listing exploitative and unsafe. Airbnb rules permit hosts to share homes with guests, but third-party live-in managers are not standard practice.

'£750 a month, that's not even a proper wage for being a cleaner, manager, organiser—especially in London,' wrote one user.

Another added: 'The worst part is having to share your space with strangers without even having your own lockable room. What could possibly go wrong?'

One commenter revealed a similar encounter: 'I saw one ad from a single mum who wanted someone to work from home so they could pick her kid up from school. There was even a curfew. These people are mad.'

Though now deleted, the ad serves as a reminder of just how far landlords are willing to go in a housing market tilted heavily in their favour.

Spain's Sofa Rentals: A Sign of a Continental Crisis

A similarly shocking story emerged in Spain earlier this year. A landlord in Mallorca advertised a sofa for £334 (€400 / $423) a month. Shortly after, another listing in Estepona went viral, asking £376 (€450 / $476) monthly for a white sofa bed in a living room.

Over-tourism and high demand are fuelling this practice, pushing locals to rent out couches to cover inflated living costs. One Palma resident told El Mundo:
'Even sofas are being rented. People have asked to rent mine—and the rooms going are often unfurnished, for £500 (€600 / $635) a month.'

The UK's Deepening Housing Crisis

According to Shelter, over 354,000 people in the UK experienced homelessness in 2024. More than 1.3 million households remain on social housing waiting lists.

Home ownership is also slipping out of reach. The Office for National Statistics reported a 4.7% rise in house prices in 2024, with the average now sitting around £267,200 ($338,800). Average wages, however, only grew by 4%, further widening the affordability gap.

Tenants are spending an average of 34% of their income on rent—rising to 70% in major cities like London. As landlords capitalise on a broken system, renters are often forced to accept outrageous terms just to keep a roof over their heads.

From Renting to Servitude

This Crouch End listing—and its counterparts in Spain—are indicative of a growing trend: exploitative landlords offering makeshift living spaces in exchange for what amounts to unpaid labour. The blurred lines between 'accommodation' and 'employment' are leading to what some are calling 'servitude renting'.

Renters are no longer simply seeking shelter—they are now being tasked with managing, cleaning and maintaining properties in which they barely have any privacy.

With spiralling rents, stagnant wages, and a lack of regulatory oversight, these listings are becoming more common. But they also serve as a wake-up call: the housing crisis is not just a numbers issue—it's a moral one.